


Team FLME: Volume 6

by Super_Human456



Category: Original Work, RWBY, Team FLME
Genre: Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Massive Battles, Sad Ending, War, loss of a loved one, on ice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:35:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 41,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23005717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Super_Human456/pseuds/Super_Human456
Summary: The War for Remnant has officially begun in the eyes of the Grimm Lord Onyx and Isaac Scorch, as both sides now rally to North Vacuo in hopes of uncovering their own paths for victory, while others, defeat.Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.  All characters from RWBY are own by Rooster Teeth.  All RWBY OCs within this story are owned by me.
Relationships: Ember Ignis/May Fumi, Mason Ignis/Evie Ignis, Shadow Ombre/Luna Ombre





	1. Evening's Light

On a dark night in northern Vacuo, a thunder storm rages throughout the northern lush mountains. Lighting crashes around an individual mountain as rain pours down from the dark clouds. From the far side of the mountain, a large Atlesian Model airship emerges from the clouds. A bullhead departs from the ship and lands directly in front of the mountain. The door opens and General Shadow Ombre steps out and waves his hand to the bullhead crew, summoning them away. 

Shadow walks up to the base of the mountain and removes a rock from its side to reveal a key panel. He types in a code and the mountain opens up into a passage way inside the mountain. Shadow begins to walk inside. Inside the cave is Dr. Lavenza Volt, goggles down, working with chemicals and typing on his computer. As he is working, Lavenza begins to hum a tune, not noticing or caring that Shadow is now inside the lab. 

Shadow walks up to the main lab table and places a file onto the table. The file’s cover reads “Merlot Industries: Project Judicator”. 

Lavenza: Ah. Dr. Merlot, you arrogant fool you. (He takes the file and begins to run through the papers) With his added research, the expectancy for Lord Onyx’s new army will be set in stone. You should be honored to lead such an army. General?

Lavenza looks over as Shadow pulls up a file on the computer that reads “Midnight Sun”. Once it pops up, different papers about his wife, Luna Ombre, appear as does a picture of her in her frozen casket. Shadow sighs to himself, taking a deep breath in. Lavenza places a hand on his shoulder and both resume to look back at the screen. 

Shadow: When will she be alive again?

Lavenza: General, you have to realize this process takes time. 

Shadow: It has been twenty YEARS! How much longer will you have me wait for you to stop squabbling in the dirt?

Lavenza: General, with the efforts by both Lord Onyx and the boy, the former has asked me on numerous occasions to conduct projects that will ensure our victory! (He grabs Shadow and turns to have them face each other.) We have been planning these next few months for years now! Everything must fall into place. 

Shadow: That’s not a definitive answer, Doctor. 

Lavenza: This is a process that takes time. I have but a single compound to decipher and formulate an antidote.   
Shadow: Then use what you have and cure her! 

Lavenza: I haven't tested it at all. As far as I’m aware, it could either give her 5 more years to live or 5 seconds. It could expedite the process of her poisoning or slow it down. And those are odds I am not willing to take at all. No matter what you have to say about it, General. 

Shadow knocks Lavenza’s hand off of his shoulder and takes a step back. He returns his gaze to the screen, still looking at Luna in her comatose state. 

Lavenza: General…Shadow. (Shadow turns to face him) Be fortunate that this month is upon us. 

Shadow: And why is that?

Lavenza puts away the file and pulls up a news report. The report reads: “Lunar Eclipse Set For End of the Month; People Already Preparing” 

Shadow: The Eclipse. So?

Lavenza: Did Lord Onyx not alert the other members of the Cabal as to what would happen this day?

Shadow: Other than the assault on Haven Academy, no. So, you tell me, Doctor, what is so special about this day other than for tourists?

Lavenza: The Guardian. The gods had to find a way to keep them in check with their other children. According to ancient history provided by the remnants of the Mistral Temple and Lord Onyx and her grace, the days of Eclipses are where Guardians lose a majority of their powers. They are weak while the Grimm grow stronger. The Prince of Darkness rises in power. Two birds…a single stone. 

Shadow: Then what?

Lavenza: With the Guardian dead I will have more time to focus on more pressing matters. Such as completing Project Judicator. However, I will make quick work to find the final piece of the puzzle to cure your beloved Luna. 

Shadow: Just like you placed so much care for Elizabeth. 

Lavenza’s eyes widen. However, he slowly shifts back into a look of anger, his eyes begin to twitch with hate an anger towards the general. However, he takes a deep breath turns back around to face him, arms behind him. 

Lavenza: Say that name again, and I will throw that kill switch without a second thought. Is that understood, General?

Shadow keeps up his glare against Lavenza, anger all over his face. He doesn't answer as Volt returns to his lab table and continues to conduct his work. Shadow puts the files of the eclipse away and pulls back up the files of Luna. As Shadow looks of the data files of Luna as he hears Lavenza conduct his work over and over again. As the doctor is working, he grabs his scroll and goes onto a call with Captain Vincent Stier. 

Lavenza: Captain Stier, have your men bring down Merlot’s serum from the cargo hold within General Ombre’s ship. Travel carefully. 

Stier: Understood, sir. 

Lavenza walked over to his main computer and opened the elevator door. 

Lavenza: You should be happy. This our moment of triumph after all. I know I am. 

Shadow grabs Lavenza’s arm before the latter can fully pass, stopping him in his tracks. 

Shadow: I want her alive by the end of the year. 

Lavenza: And you’ll have it. Once Cinder and Hazel bring me the Relic of Knowledge and the Guardian dies, she will be with you. So, do not question the good fortune you are in right now. 

A platform comes down from the rooftop carrying Stier and several crates containing a green liquid. Stier steps off the platform and places the crate he is carrying onto the ground. 

Stier: Dr. Merlot’s evolutionary formula. Troops will deliver the remaining supplies. 

Lavenza: Thank you, Captain. Now if you two would be so kind to assist me. Stier that crate over there, please roll it here. General, the chain. 

Stier nodded, accepting the order while Shadow rolled his eyes and began to pull on the chain. Lavenza walks over to the crates of Merlot’s formula and opens it, seeing the green liquid inside. He gets back up and walks over to his lab table and grabs two syringes. One he fills up with the chemicals he was working with before Shadow arrived. 

Lavenza walks back over to the crate and injects the syringe with his own work into the formula. The liquid goes from a green to blue and Lavenza smiles. He takes the second syringe and fills it with the now blue liquid. He turns back around to see Stier slowly rolling in a cage with a Beowolf inside, barking and snarling at the bars. Lavenza gets up and joins Stier as the two get the cage into position.   
Lavenza walks back over to his computer and, upon seeing Shadow fully opening the ceiling, pushes a code and generates a lighting rod and several wires. Volt attaches the wires to the cage and injects the Beowolf with the formula. 

Lavenza: Now then, let us see Merlot’s design come to perfection. 

Lavenza smirks as lighting strikes the rod, lighting passing down into the cage and shocking the Beowolf. The formula begins to take effect as some blue crystals begin to grow off of the Grimm. The teeth get larger and sharper as does it claws and spikes. Both Shadow and Stier back up as Lavenza begins to laugh at the sight of his success. 

Lavenza: Life! (Laughs) This is LIFE!!!  
_________________________________________________________  
In the middle of Exanimum Fields, the old desert near the capital of Vacuo, the camera flies down into the entry of the Guardian Temple located there and zooms through the different passages and chambers of the temple, eventually stopping at a large room. Inside the chamber is Leia Burns, May Fumi, Ember Ignis and Isaac Scorch. 

Isaac stabs a Creep’s head with his blade and removes it slowly. As he pants, Leia pinches the bridge of her nose, clearly visibly frustrated at something. She turns around and kicks the wall beside her, forming a hole within the wall. 

Leia: Well this is fan-flippin-tastic. I’m an idiot. 

May: Don’t sell yourself short. It was ancient Mistralian and Atlesian mixed in with one another. Those languages are over a thousand years old. 

Leia: Well, I could have done better. I knew I never should have given up on those Ancient World courses back in Beacon. But no. All I did was waste us valuable time and planning and all of our LIVES for a failure of a translation. 

May: It’s not a failure. You and Fred said it yourselves. The architecture is still clearly the same of those who built the temple in Mistral. Is it frustrating to realize that we’ve been down here for almost two week and still nothing has been found, yes. Yes it is. But that shouldn't mean we’re done for completely. 

Leia: Well, thanks for the words of optimism I guess. Though sending Fred and Team VILE down there wasn't the best of options for either of us. 

May: Well, they’re down there now. So whether we like it or not, they’re down there. 

Leia: Yeah. So they are. Think they’ll be ok?

May: Yeah. I mean it’s Fred and Violet. Plus Ing, Llew and Eadwulf. If VILE can handle us, they can handle anything. 

Leia: You make it sound like we’re dysfunctional?

May: No. Just crazy. 

Leia: Yeah. That does sound like us. 

Isaac walked over from one wall over to Ember, both now staring down a dark chamber into the deeper regions of the temple. 

Isaac: Well?

Ember: We’re low on food, ammunition and sunlight. Tired. One too many Grimm to count. 

Isaac: Tired? 

Ember: I just said that, yes. They’ve been down there for two hours. It took us that long when dealing with the entirety of the Temple in Mistral. 

Isaac: Well, not every temple is going to be the same. 

Ember: Yeah. 

Ember glanced around, turning his head back to face May. Ember smiled before returning his gaze back to the entrance of the dark chamber. The room was relatively silent with the exception of the girl’s voices behind the two brothers. 

Ember: I’m going down there. 

Isaac: Hey, hey! (Isaac stops him) That place is a maze. You can’t rush that. 

Ember returned to his original stance. The Faunus continued to glance between May and the entrance into the chamber. Isaac looked down to his brother, raising an eyebrow. 

Isaac: Never seen you this worried about him. He can handle a heck of a lot. 

Ember: He’s not what I’m nervous about. 

Isaac: If you’re still worried about Lavenza-

Ember: I killed his pet. I gave them another lost. Onyx is gonna want revenge. And I’m not strong enough to beat that. None of us are. I’m nervous about…I’m nervous about her. 

Ember glanced back to May with Isaac following. The two returned their gaze back to the entrance. 

Isaac: So? It’s May. She can handle a lot more than I can. 

Ember: I just want to protect her. I want to get her, hold her and-and-

Isaac: Young love does that. You want to save them all, don’t you?

Ember: I don’t know what I want. I want to protect her. I want to stand by you and Fred. I wanna-I wanna prove to the world that Faunus aren't evil. I want…I do not know what I want. And it’s stupid. I should know. For crying out loud I’m 18 I should know all this stuff by now. 

Isaac: Not necessarily. All because you’re 18 doesn't mean you are done growing. Believe me I should know. You’ll figure it out soon enough. You always figure it out. No matter what it is, you do it. So don’t worry about that yet. You’ll manage. 

Ember looks up to his adoptive brother. Smiles on both their faces. A roar is finally heard from the dark chambers. All four go silent. Isaac slowly pulls out his sword and gets into a fighting stance. Ember, Leia and May also draw out their weapons and got ready to attack. Suddenly, Llew Glas teleports herself and an injured Eadwulf Fenrir and Violet Eclairage into the room. The four that were standing guard turn back and face the girl and her teammates. 

Leia: Llew?

Ember: Wolf?

Llew: (Pants) Incoming! 

With that final sentence, a yellow aura around Llew shatters and breaks, all her energy drained completely. 

The four return back to the chamber’s entrance. Soon, gunshots and other sounds are heard from the doorway. Suddenly, Frederic Scorch leaps up to the main chamber and faces his brother and teammates. 

Ember: Boss?

Fred: Gangway!

Fred turns around and begins to throw fireballs into the passage. Ing Pugno leaps back into the same chamber, both fighting off Grimm. Ing yells and unleashes his semblance of ice onto the walls and Grimm, freezing the entire passageway. After several layers of ice, Ing stops and kneels down onto the ground, panting. Like Llew, his white colored aura shatters around him. Fred walks over to Ing and kneels down to help him up. 

Fred: You ok?

Ing: Yeah. Nothing bad’s happened to us yet. 

Ing chuckled a bit at the comment. Fred smiled. 

Fred: Yeah. 

Fred began to guide Ing out of the chamber. May walked over and did the same to Violet while Leia did the same with Llew and Isaac with Eadwulf. 

Ember: Nothing obviously?

Fred: Yeah. Obviously. Come on, let’s get upstairs. 

The nine of them went upstairs to a higher part of the temple. With a bonfire on, May and Isaac was bandaging up Eadwulf and Llew. All of Team VILE had their cloths tattered and ripped apart. Eadwulf having it the worse, his entire shirt and jacket was gone. Fred was controlling the flames as Ember was cooking some meat. 

Leia: I’m sorry guys. I guess my translating skills aren't as well as I thought. 

Violet: Well…other than a few rips and tears, I think we’re good. Right?

Fred: Well, other than cloths, we have searched every inch of this place. Every block, every passageway and still no library. There has to be another temple. 

May: You think they moved an entire library. 

Fred: Well, this place was a battlefield. I wouldn't be surprise if Ozpin and his followers somehow moved it to a new secured location. 

Leia: If that’s the case, then where would it go?

Fred: I’ll read my father’s journal to see if I can't find something. Right now, this place is a scrub. 

Ing: So, what’s the plan here?

Violet: There’s a town just a bit north of here. Let’s call it a night and then tomorrow we can get all of this (gestures to their torn cloths) sorted out. 

Isaac: I can get behind that. Night guys. 

With that, everyone began to go to sleep. Before he could, Fred looked up into the night’s sky, seeing the stars. He sighs to himself and lays down on his makeshift bed for the night.   
_________________________________________________________  
The Burns Family airship lands outside the boarder of a small town along the boarder of Exanimum Fields. After the ramp extends down, Violet, Ing, Llew, Eadwulf and Fred step off of the ship followed by Leia and May. 

May: So, remind me again why we are doing this?

Eadwulf: Well, I’m currently wearing Fred’s jacket so yeah, put two and two together. 

May: Alright. Alright. Geez.

May mumbles to herself a bit as she walks back inside the ship. Eadwulf shrugs as does Leia and Fred. 

Fred: We’ll be back soon. 

The five begin to walk into the town. 

Eadwulf: Yeah. It’s gonna be a few hours. 

Fred: Why exactly?

Eadwulf: Well, it will be fine for me, Ing and Llew. But Violet…

Fred: Oh…right.

The two run up and catch up to the rest. 

Fred is next seen standing outside a tailor shop, leaning against the building, leg propped up against the wall. He has a canteen of water in his hand. He looks up to the sun and covers his eyes from the bright sun. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and reaches out to the sun, trying to use his Guardian abilities. 

???: Hey!

Fred looks over and sees an elderly woman sitting in a rocking chair underneath a covered deck. 

Elderly Woman: You keep doing that, people will think you’re trying to move the sun. 

Fred: Thanks for the advice!

Elderly Woman: Yeah! (To herself) Stupid kid. 

Fred rolls his eyes and finally the door opens to the tailor shop. Out comes Eadwulf and Ing. Eadwulf is wearing an outfit that is similar to Llew’s old cloths, clearly dialing back on what he used to wear mainly due to the insane heat of the desert. Ing is wearing several robes with a shoulder pad, similar to Fred’s alternate outfit back in Beacon. 

Fred: Where are Llew and Violet?

Ing: Still inside. Violet wanted Llew’s input for something. 

Fred: Geez. We’re going to be fighting a war, not a fashion show. 

Eadwulf doesn't say anything but throws Fred’s coat back to him. Fred raises a hand as a way of saying thanks and puts it back on. The door opens again and Llew steps out. She was wearing a single blue shirt with no sleeves and black pants. Yellow robes and bandages were around her chest and arms respectively. Around neck was a pulled back hood with goggles. She still had her earpiece on her left ear, however, her hair was cut short. 

Eadwulf: Where is she now?

Llew: About two isles to the left of where we left off. She’ll be out soon…hopefully. 

Fred: Yeah. Hopefully. 

The door opened once again and Violet stepped out. She was wearing a pure purple shirt/skirt, reaching her upper legs. Belts crossed along her waist with a small blue flag off of one. Black pants which led down into black boots. She smirked and walked up to Fred. 

Violet: Like what you see?

Fred: Is it functional?

Violet: Depends on what you say in the next two seconds, Hotshot. 

Fred: You look fine. 

Violet: Really? Well, that is a great thing to hear, right, Hotshot?

Fred: Focus on the mission first, please. 

Fred sidestepped away from Violet and walked away towards the ship. Violet groans a frustrated groan. Llew placed her hand on Violet’s back in support. 

Violet: One day, Hotshot. One day. 

The two girls begin to walk after the boys as they all return to the ship. As they are walking up the main ramp, Leia and Isaac are there waiting for them. 

Fred: Ing. See if you can’t help out in the engine room. 

Ing: Right. Semblance, don’t need to tell me twice. 

Leia: And us?

Fred turns back to the rest of Team VILE. 

Fred: You three know the territory better than either Leia or I. You think maybe-

Violet: Yeah, Yeah. (Pats his chest) Don’t worry about Hotshot. We got the terrain covered in a jiffy. So lets do this thing!

Fred chuckles to himself as the rest of his friends get onboard the airship. The ship then takes off and begins to fly up to northern Vacuo. Pan up to the sun and screen cuts to black.


	2. Raid the Citadel

After the opening, the black fades into Lavenza working in his lab once again. He grabs one of the crates containing Merlot’s old formula and walks over to a scale. He places the crate on the scale and gets its measurements. After doing a few bits of math, Lavenza records the mass of the original. He grabs his scroll and goes to the recorder function on the scroll. 

Lavenza: Mass of the formula is 55 grams. Preparing to engage updated formula to scale to assume about much to use for the mutation process. 

Lavenza removes the crate and replaces it with a crate of the mutated formula. Doing the same process again with the original formula, Lavenza discovers the mass of the updated liquid. 

Lavenza: Mass of the updated formula is 62 grams. Based upon syringe used in original mutation process, 1.5 grams of the updated formula are needed for an increase of defense capacities. Two grams are needed for maximum mutation. End log. 

Lavenza turns off the recorded button and places his scroll down. He walks back to his lab table and writes down notes upon the research he has done. He raises his goggles after putting a lid on the container holding the formula. Once he is done cleaning up, he walks over to a vault room and opens the door. He walks down a short hallway and has a Seer Grimm inside. 

Lavenza: My Lord. I have a request to ask of you. 

From the interior of the Seer, Lord Onyx’s head emerges to communicate. 

Onyx: And what is that request, Dr. Volt?

Lavenza: I may have need of more test subjects. I wish to see the results of the updated formula on more…sentient creatures. 

Onyx: I’ll have Damson and Ms. Quarzo deliver you some. 

Lavenza: Thank you, My Lord.

The call ends and cut to Land of Darkness within Onyx’s meeting room. He waves his hand away and the Seer moves aside. On the far side of the table stood Damson Shade and Roz Quarzo. 

Onyx: Well. 

Damson: It will be done, my Lord. 

Roz: Humans or Grimm?  
Onyx: Both. Lead a squad of Ombre’s soldiers to raid a town in Northern Vacuo. Near Canary. Make sure that if you do clear it, burn it. General Ombre will have need of that site soon enough. Damson, take some of those Grimm cages with you to Dr. Volt’s offsite laboratory. Tell him more are on the way. 

Damson: (Bows) It will be done, Master. 

The two begin to walk off as Onyx lies back in his chair.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in Lavenza’s lab, the doctor is continuing his work with Merlot’s old formula. As he is conducting his research, his computer lights up. Lavenza sighs and pulls his goggles off of his face and walks away from his work station. He looks up to the screen and sees it reads “Proximity Alert: Level 0”. Lavenza’s eye brows raise. 

Lavenza: Well…this is something interesting. 

He walks back over to the Seer Grimm.

Lavenza: Lord Onyx, it appears I have a…special guest. Maybe the General would like to see them as well.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in Land of Darkness, the camera zooms down into the halls of Onyx’s Citadel. As the passages move around, they end off in the cells of the building. Inside one is Mason Ignis and Evie Ignis. Next to them is March and April Fumi. March has a purple crystal in his hand and is busy filing away at the bars. 

Mason: It’s not going to work. 

March: You don’t know that!

Evie: You’ve been at that for over a week. Every night and day. How many of those things have you found and broke on that cell?

April: Forty-Three. March, sweetie. We have to find a more effective solution. 

March: It will work! It has to! 

Mason: March, I understand that you want to make sure your daughter’s ok. Believe me, I want to make sure my boys are alright too. But it’s been a week and you’ve made no progress. 

March: Just shut it! Maybe if you would-

March stopped as Shadow stood right before him. March lets the crystal go and runs up to the bars. He reaches out towards the general as he takes a step back to avoid the grab. 

Shadow: It is truly amazing of how quickly your spirits have fallen. You have been here for no longer than two weeks and yet you are already acting like a desperate parent. 

March: Shut it you old bas-

Shadow: Clever comeback. But obviously useless in your current state. 

March: Once we get out of here-

Shadow: That will not happen. The bars wont be broken at your pace for years. 

April: Then our children-

Shadow: Are most likely dead. The Harrapari was sent upon them to claim their hides. So, I suggest you remain comfortable. You will be here for sometime. 

March: Do you even have a heart? How can you let that happen?! All the death and destruction around you! Killing children! How? How can you let this happen?!

Shadow lunges forward and grabs March’s collar and pulls him close to the bars.

Shadow: You don’t know what I’ve been through! What I’ve fought through! They wont be the first children I slaughter for my mission and I actually pray they are the last but I know they will not be! So, (Shadow throws March back) do NOT ever believe you are the saint here! 

March: You fear Onyx don’t you?

Shadow: Hm. Hardly. 

Mason: Then why serve him?

Shadow: My reasons are my own. Now, I suggest you all remain still. And once again, get comfortable. 

The door to the prison opens up and Lavender Kristal walks throw the doorway. 

Lavender: Lord Onyx and Dr. Volt requests your presence. 

Shadow: I had just returned from his laboratory. What does he want now?

Lavender: Apparently, he has a guest he wants you to deal with. 

Evie: (To herself) The boys!

Mason: It looks like they did live, “General”. 

Shadow glances back to Mason and glares at the detective. In his intense glare, Shadow smirks slightly at the idea in his head. 

Shadow: (Sighs) Very well. (To Lavender) Watch them!

Lavender nodded in response. From there, Shadow walks to the door and leaves the cells to Lavender to guard. After Shadow leaves, March slides down in his cell, realizing that his daughter is still under threat by someone he should have defeated years ago. However, before the old captain could mop around, Lavender walks over to the side of the wall and places an emp charge on it. 

The cameras watching the cells deactivate and reactivate with a preoccupied footage. Lavender walks over to the Ignis’ cell and opens the door. 

Evie: What are you doing?

Lavender: A girl can do a lot for money. (To Mason) Tell Farkas Barna, we’re even. 

Mason: Done. 

Lavender: Best of luck. My job here is done. 

Lavender opens the Fumi cell and walks out. She holds up a 3 signifying they had 3 minutes before the cameras reset. The four adults look at one another and nod. They run up to the main door and Mason creeks it open. The coast is clear and the four move out. As they enter the hallway, two Ombre soldiers enter the same hall. 

Ombre Soldier 1: Open-

Mason and Evie use their increased speed from being huntsmen and punch the back of the heads of soldiers. Mason turns and looks at Evie and smirks. Evie smiles and understands the plan. Moments later, March and April are in lose cuffs guided by Mason and Evie wearing the uniforms, hiding their Faunus parts. 

April: Well, this is…clever. 

Mason: It’s humiliating that’s what it is.   
Evie: Tail rolling up?

Mason: Yes! And it sucks! 

March: Hey. Can you suck it up and deal with it!

Mason: I seriously want you to shut up!

Evie: And now you are playing into the role.

The four of them continued to walk through the citadel. After passing a few Ombre troops, giving them a salute and then proceeding to continue forward. The four finally came across a random hallway after descending a few floors and witnessed a soldier walking into a room. After a few minutes of waiting, the soldier came back out holding a rifle with some explosives. 

March: Armory?

Mason: Move it!

The four take off into the room. Inside the room are several rifles, swords, axes and other weapons of destruction. March smirks and walks up to a crate and cracks it open. He smiles at the sight of explosives, weapons and other things that could lead into destruction and what-not. Evie walked over to a plate of mines and rifles. She hears a sword being unsheathed and looks to see April getting her blades for herself and her husband. 

April: Need a blade?

Evie: Launch me.

April grabbed two swords and thew them towards Evie. Evie unsheathes one and examines it. She nods and expects the other before throwing it to Mason. 

March: So, detective. What’s your plan here exactly?

Mason grabs a grenade and begins to toss it into the air. 

Mason: We’re going to blow this place sky high. 

The four grabbed grenades, explosives, mines and other ways to destroy everything. They wrapped the explosives around their waists chests and belts and began to enact their plans. Mason and Evie began to guide the group through the halls and place grenades at the base of the hallways. 

March launched April up to the ceiling. She grabbed onto the rafters of the hallway and placed more bombs onto the roof. After leaping back down, the four continued onward. The four come across a small corridor. Evie grabs two rifles from her back and begins to load it with gunpowder and oil. She placed them both on a statue within the corridor and set both to blow along with April placing a few bombs next to the rifles. 

April gives Mason and March a thumbs up signifying they are ready. 

March: Ready?

Mason: Set!

The two press a button on their detonators, synchronizing all the bombs to either of the two, getting ready to explode. The Faunus women return to the group as a whole get into cover. 

Evie: You know, once we do this, they’ll know we’re out. 

March: I want them to know. I want to bring Shadow down!

Mason: Focus on the general later. Now, we need to get out of here. 

The other three nod and they all take off together. As they ran through the tower, March unloaded a few more grenades onto the ground. 

Mason: What are you doing?

March: Like I said, I want to blow this place sky high. So, unless you’ve got a problem with that, I suggest you speak it now. 

Mason didn't say anything and just kept running. The four finally came across the upper levels of the hanger bay. While up there, Mason, Evie and March taking out there guards along the upper walkways. The four take cover behind a few covered rails in order to avoid detection. While up there, March’s eyes widen as he see Shadow getting onto a bullhead to take off. 

March gains an angry look to his face and attempts to stand up and run after the general, however, he is stopped by Mason. 

Mason: Wait!

March: What are you doing?! Our kids! 

Mason: We wont be able to help them if we’re dead! Besides, we’ve seen them in a fight. They can handle this!   
April: So, what would you recommend we do?

Evie: Simple. (Looks at some ships and tanks) Take out the heavy artillery. 

March and April look at one another and then smile. The two older couple look at the detectives and smirk in response. 

March: I’m starting to really like you two. 

Evie: And us you.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in the air with the Burns Family Airship, the members of Team FLME and VILE along with Isaac are flying through the air. Leia and Llew are at the helm while Fred, Eadwulf, Isaac and Violet are overlooking a map of Vacuo. 

Fred: So, if the temple was moved, where too is the question?

Eadwulf: Maybe a mountains region? I mean that’s where it was last time. 

Isaac: Hunches cant guide us forever.

Leia: Sorry!

Fred: Let it go, Leia!

Violet: So, where does your Dad’s diary say it is?

Fred gives her a deadpanned look as does Isaac. 

Violet: What?

Fred: My father’s journal doesn't detail as much as the writings from the temple. However, going through some of them, it seems I’m going to need a translator. 

Leia: Find a new one!

Eadwulf: Hey, Sunflower! Get off the soapbox and translate this! You’re fluent in the ancients. 

Leia: But last time-

Eadwulf: Don’t worry about last time. Focus on the now! And now we need-

The ship rumbles.   
Violet: What was that?

The ship shakes again. Isaac runs over to the ships control panel and clicks the communications. 

Isaac: What’s happening down there?!

Ing: (Through Radio) We’re being shot at! The engines are-

Violet: ING?!

From the ground, Stier is commanding a squad of Ombre soldiers into firing at the airship. A smirk on his face. 

Stier: Sir, the ship’s under attack. I’d advise you stay in the lab. 

Lavenza: (Through Scroll) Believe me, Captain I intend to. Have fun. 

More shots are fired towards the airship. After several more shells are hit, the engines are destroyed. 

May: We’re going down!!!

Ember runs over to May and tackles her to get her into cover as the ship comes down towards the ground. 

Scene cuts to Black.


	3. Lab Crashers

After the opening, the Burns Family airship crashes down onto the surface of Remnant, sliding across the ground, blasting up dirt and debris into the air, eventually stopping at a tree by ramming into it. From the cargo bay, Ember is rolled up into a ball, May’s head is currently tucked into his chest as her body is wrapped around his body to protect one another. 

Ember raises his head and slowly begins to sit up. He looks down at May as she slowly rises as well. She reaches towards his face and feels it, clearly looking for damage to it. Ember says nothing but hugs May, bringing her closer to himself. He slowly began to stroke her hair and pet her cat ears. After a few more seconds of this, May swats Ember’s hands away from her head. 

May: I’m alright. You?

Ember: Yeah. I’m ok. You?

May: What did I just say? 

Ember rolled his eyes but chuckles a bit. The two get up and walk over towards Ing, who was leaning against a wall. 

Ember: Ing? You alright, pal?

Ing: (Groans) Yeah, I guess. 

Ember offers him a hand up, which Ing takes. From the upper rafters, shaking is heard and the rest of group lands inside the hold. Violet and Leia run up to their respective teammates and embrace them. 

Fred: What happened?

Ember: Engines were shot. Something fired upon-(Sniffs)

Fred: What is it?

Ember sniffs again. 

Ember: Something familiar. 

He keeps sniffing as does Eadwulf. Ember’s eyes widen upon the realization. 

Ember: COVER!

Bullets begin to fly throw the hull of the ship. Leia raises a shield, protecting her friends as they all leap into cover. She moves over towards Eadwulf, Violet and Ing behind a large iron door. As they were behind cover, a squad of Ombre soldiers move into the area. From the other side of the ship, the soldiers cut into the ship. 

As they do so, they are shot away by Isaac and Leia. Fred looks over and nods at Violet. Fred back kicks the iron door, throwing it into several soldiers. The nine run out, using debris from the ship for cover. 

Isaac: The Cabal!

Violet: How did they find us?!

Leia: Those cannons take some time to set up! I don’t think they found us! I think we found them!

Ember: Then I say, let’s take them down!

Violet: Eadwulf!

Eadwulf: Moving!

Eadwulf runs from cover and throws three knives towards Ombre soldiers. Ing and Ember exit cover and run into battle, opening fire at other soldiers. Ing forms an ice ball in his hand and throws it at the ground, causing an ice storm. From the storm, two streaks of lighting emerge, one purple, the other white. The purple coming from Violet while the white bolt coming from Fred. 

From the tree line, a few soldiers take aim at the students. However, two sniper shots are fired and hit the soldiers. May deactivates her semblance and smirks as she begins to take aim at the incoming troops. Eadwulf increases his size and acts as a shield for his friends. Llew teleports to his head with Ember and throws the Fox Faunus down to the ground. Ember punches the ground, sending a shockwave at the soldiers. 

Fred runs up and slashes and attacks the incoming troops with Leia providing shields around his body to which, he can deflect hits and bullets coming in. Eadwulf shrinks down to his usual size as a river of lava separates the nine of them with the Ombre troopers. From there, the nine of them went into cover. 

Once in cover, Isaac, Violet, Leia and Ing opened fire, hitting soldiers as more came in around them. However, more soldiers wrapped around and came from behind the cover. Ember and May opened fire. Fred ignited some fire and rolled on the ground and kicked the flames at the troops, hitting the remaining ones.   
Ing: What is this place?

Llew: I would suggest a military installation for General Ombre’s forces!

Fred: May! Any input!

May: Me? I may have been his technical daughter but I know nothing of his tactics! 

Leia: I would suggest making our way to the base itself! Maybe take out and use the defenses there to get these guys in check! 

Fred: Alright! That mountain is our priority.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Dr. Volt’s Offsite Laboratory, the doctor is spectating the battle from cameras and monitors around the room. He glares a bit and walks over to a cart of crates with the updated Merlot’s formula and brings it over to the sky hatch. After he returns to the main room, the Seer Grimm enters and projects an image of Onyx. 

Lavenza: My Lord?

Onyx: Dr. Volt. General Ombre, Ms. Quarzo and Damson are approaching. Upon hearing of the possible guest, I had them abandon missions. I hope you can wait on your test subjects?

Lavenza: My lord, I would rather have it that my laboratory is in tact and wait for test subjects than the alternative. 

Onyx: Excellent to know your priorities are straight. 

Four bullheads and two troop transport ships enter the airspace of the region. Two of the bullheads and the transport ships land nearby the crash site. From them, more Ombre soldiers step out along with Roz and Damson. 

Roz: Break their line! I want the Scorch Brothers alive!

Damson gives her a questionable look. 

Damson: Since when do you want the brothers alive? (Snickers) I could bring you there heads. (Laughs) I-I mean, it seems easier than keeping them alive. 

Roz: I could care less about Frederic, but I want to stab Isaac’s neck with my finger tips. 

Damson: (Snickers) Someone’s asking pain. (Licks lips) I would gladly deliver it. 

The two begin to march forward with their troops. As they are, the two finally come across the nine members resisting their troops in battle. In the heat of battle, Isaac is firing off round after round. He glances towards the mountain and sees Roz and Damson standing there. Isaac kicks a soldier in the knee and spins his sword around and kicks the hilt directly towards Roz. 

Roz evades the attack, barely being able to dodge the sword’s tip. The sword itself landed into a tree. Roz looks back at Isaac as Isaac has now run up and kicked Roz in the face, sending her through the air. Damson brings his cybernetic tail down towards Isaac. Isaac blocks the tail and activates his semblance, melting some of his tail away. Damson screams a bit and backs off. Isaac runs to his sword and chases down Roz. 

Ember: And there he goes! Of course. 

Fred: I’ll handle him! You and May find a way into that mountain! (To the others) Llew! Ing! Cover them! 

Ing: On it!

Llew: Understood!

The four move out and take off towards the mountain. Before any could intercept them, Leia and Fred opened fire at the troops. 

Back with the last two bullheads, they come down into Lavenza’s lab. The doors open and troops step out along with Shadow. The troops walk over to the crates and begin to load them onto the bullhead. 

Lavenza: I was expecting more reinforcements. 

Shadow: The army is being built up for the Eclipse. 

Lavenza: With this experiment we wont have need for these mutts. 

Shadow steps in front of Lavenza, an angry glare plastered on his face. Lavenza leans back as Shadow encroaches upon his position, his glare ever present. 

Lavenza: The boy is outside. Do something about it. (Shadow keeps up his glare) Or Luna will stay in that grave. 

Shadow backs off and begins to walk to the entrance. He reaches up and gets his earpiece ready. 

Shadow: Stier! Have the snipers up top! Pin them!

Inside the woods surround the mountain, Ember, May, Llew and Ing run to some trees, either sliding or running up to them to take cover. As they all are behind cover, Ember looks out and sees several Ombre troops running through the woods. He takes a deep breath before signaling to the rest of his friends to move up. 

As the four run up, they hear shots being fired. Ember’s ears twitch and he looks to his right only to see Isaac being thrown through the trees and into the ground. 

Ember: Isaac?

May: EMBER!

Suddenly, Roz emerges from the woods as everything seems to slow down. Roz spins around in mid-air and generates a shield and throws it at Ember. Llew instinctively teleports next to Ember, grabs him and teleports away before the shield can hit. As Roz comes down onto the ground, Ing is there, waiting for her. 

Ing blocks Roz’s sword strike and fires off a round from his assault rifle, pushing him into a spin. As he spins, he jumps up and brings his foot down into a kick. He then roundhouse kicks Roz, who is now being pushed back by the teen. Ing does a front flip, now spinning his baton at Roz. The two move away from Isaac as Ing keeps up the pressure onto Roz. After spins and whacks towards her, Ing leans back and dodges an incoming strike, spins around and back kicks Roz away. 

As she is flying, Llew teleports behind her and kicks her head, sending her into even more trees. Ing runs up and begins to use his semblance to blast Roz with ice. However, Roz has a shield up, blocking the impending attack. With her other arm, she forms another shield and bounces it off the ground, ricocheting off the ground and towards Ing. 

Ing stops his ice attack and spins around in mid-air to avoid the shield. However, before Roz can take off towards Ing, Llew teleports next to her and begins to slash towards Roz. As the two fight, Roz counters Llew’s strike, she roundhouse kicks Llew, sending her away. However, Isaac runs up and slashes up, sending Roz back into the woods. 

Isaac, Ing and Llew all stop and take off after Roz to engage her in combat. Meanwhile, Ember and May just look on in a bit of confusion and awe. 

Ember: Huh. Ok then. 

May: We gotta go. It’s going to be a bit harder now that we lost our backup. 

Ember: Yeah. Let’s roll. 

Back with Roz, Isaac, Ing and Llew. The two teens come down for a strike against Roz, however, Roz is able to evade and brings up two massive crystals and hit them both and send them flying. Isaac swings his blade down onto Roz’s as the two clash, their blades lock and the enter a standoff. 

Roz: Not going to spill your old rhetoric of “turning me back to the good” again are you?

The two break the pin and unleash two swings towards one another. Once again, they end up pinning one another to their blades. 

Isaac: You know me so well! You do do this out of survival, don't you?

Roz: Shut up!

Isaac: Roz. It’s ok. I’m here. 

Roz: I said SHUT UP!

They break the pin again and Isaac slides back across the ground. 

Roz: You’ve made your choice and I’ve made mine. 

The two run up and clash once again. As they do, Ing and Llew get back from, shaking off the effects of the strike. However, Roz’s Ombre soldiers close in and open fire. Ing leaps to his feet and engages an ice wall in front of him and Llew, protecting them both. 

Ing: Llew! We gotta get out of here!

Llew: Agreed! 

However, before she can teleport with Ing, a soldier with a rocket launcher opens fire and Llew in the side, sending both the teens flying. Isaac turns around and looks on in shock at the sight. 

Isaac: NO!

Isaac opens fire with his shotgun, taking out the remaining soldiers. Ing and Llew stand up and look at Isaac taking on the troops. He looks at them, anger in his eyes. 

Isaac: GO! Go now!

The two nod and take off, Llew teleporting to two only a short distance due to her loss of aura. 

Back with Fred, Leia, Violet and Eadwulf, the four are taking on the rest of Ombre’s troops stationed at the lab as well as Damson. Damson is currently up close to Fred, slashing his knives directly at him. Fred blocks each attack but does not counter Damson’s tail from wrapping around his ankle and throwing him into a tree far off. 

Damson goes onto all fours and charges towards Fred. He leaps into the air to lung towards Fred. However, before he can, Leia creates a shield between Damson and Fred and throws the Faunus back. Damson rolls onto the ground and finally stops to the ground. 

Damson: (Snickers) O-O! That was something. 

Damson laughs sinisterly before standing back up. The two groups glare at one another until Leia forms a shield in front of her head and a sniper round is stopped and falls before them. 

Leia: SNIPER!

Several more sniper rounds are fired off as the four teens run into cover behind debris from the BIC airship still nearby. From a cliffside over looking the battle, Captain Stier is with a squad of snipers firing at Fred, Leia, Violet and Eadwulf. 

Stier: Keep them suppressed. The General and I will handle the rest. Alpha Blue, with me. 

A squad of troops stands at attention and follow Stier down the mountain. Back at the battle site, Damson is watching over the suppression of the teens. He snickers to himself and cracks his neck. 

Damson: Alright. (Puts his fist and palm together and forms seven more versions of himself, each with a different color pants.) Fun time. 

He laughs as he and the clones run towards the teens. 

Screen cuts to black.


	4. Battle of the Cabals

After the opening, Ing and Llew are running through the woods, dodging bullets and swords while whacking, slicing and pushing away anyone who dare come close to the two of them. As two soldiers run up to Ing and Llew, the former uses his semblance and freezes them in place. Once he is done, he turns around to see three more troops coming after them. One fires a round of lighting dust and hits Ing, tasering him, forcing Ing to kneel down. 

Llew looks on and shifts her dust to gravity dust and stabs the ground. From there, she removes the blade and swings, forcing the gravitated rocks to the soldiers, knocking them both to the ground. She walks over to Ing and kneels down beside him. 

Llew: Ing? Can you walk?

Ing: Y-Yeah. Mind giving me a hand?

Llew extends a hand to him, which he takes and stands up. The two look around at they’re current location. No soldiers are present. No sounds. The quiet of the wooded area encloses upon them. 

Llew: Do you hear that?

Ing: Hear what?

Llew: Nothing. Their numbers are dwindling. We’re making the advance. There shouldn't be too many left now. 

Ing: Well, that’s a relief. I wouldn't have thought this place would be a bit more well defended. I mean, especially with-

Llew: DOWN!

Llew tackles Ing to the ground as a blast goes off where they previously stood. The two get behind cover as Llew looks around the area for the shooter. She sees a man with a chain gun aimed for them. Another round is fired and the two move away before the blast can hit them, destroying their old cover. 

The two run over to a rock and a now fallen tree for additional cover. Llew looked back at Ing and began to gave him hand-signal orders on how to go about the situation. She told him silently to freeze some of the surrounding area so the shooter would be drawn out of cover. Ing nodded and began to do so. However, as he was, Ing looked up and made an entire wall of ice as several more troops came in and began to open fire. 

Llew drew her blade laced with fire dust and threw a wave of fire at the incoming troops. Once the ones on the left were eliminated, she retracted her sword and drew it again, this time covered in earth dust. She stabbed the ground and a line of rocks erupted, knocking away several troops. One lands just outside the clearing. He looks up and two figures are standing before him. 

Ombre Soldier 2: S-Sir?! We can-

A shot is heard and Ing and Llew turn around. Ing grows a fearful face while Llew looks on with anger. Standing before them are Captain Stier and General Ombre. 

Stier: Well, sir? What’s the plan?

Shadow: I’ll handle the Guardian. Deal with these two. Alpha Blue is useless to us. 

Stier: Understood sir. 

Shadow begins to walk around the two teens. However, Llew drew her blade and began to run towards the general. A shot is fired between the two and Llew looks back to Stier, smoke coming from his gun. 

Stier: Not so fast little lady. You gonna have to deal with me like an alcoholic father!

Ing: Yeah. That’s more of Eadwulf’s thing. 

The two break apart and run towards Stier, who begins to open fire at Ing. As Llew gets closer, she lunges through the air towards the Captan. Stier backs up, avoiding the attack. Stier begins to dodge Llew’s attacks, moving his head side to side in order to do so. Llew then attempts to thrust her blade towards Stier’s vital points. 

Like before, Stier backs away and dodges the attack. Llew thrusts towards his chest, to which Stier dodges and grabs her wrist, elbows her face and spin throws her away. Ing runs up to Stier and whacks him in his knee. Stier kneels down as Ing begins to hit him in his chest, shoulder and nose. Before Ing can go into another strike, Stier blocks his baton and head-buts the teen on the forehead. Ing stumbles back a bit and looks up only to see Stier spin the back of his massive chain gun directly into his face. 

Ing is sent back flying and comes to a stop only when gravity takes effect. Ing reaches for his nose and sees some blood trickle out of it. Ing gains a determined look as Stier smirks to himself at the sight.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in the main crash site, Fred throws a wave of fire at one of the Damson clones, disposing it before it could land a hit on Violet. Violet turns around and fires a round from her staff towards another Damson clone. Further back is Leia and Eadwulf also fending off some incoming clones from Damson. Eadwulf ducks under the tail of one as Leia shoots it in the face, disposing it. From behind Eadwulf, another clone wrapped his tail around Eadwulf’s waist and slammed the teen onto the ground. Leia fires off a round and deposes the clone. 

Eadwulf: Why do those things have to hurt so much?

Eadwulf glanced back and swiftly rolled out of the way as the actual Damson lunged towards Eadwulf and attempted to bit down at the side of his head. After Damson misses, Eadwulf grows, doubling his size and stomps down towards Damson. Damson evades and jumps up towards Eadwulf but is blocked and flung back by Leia’s shield. 

Before Violet can attack Damson, Shadow lunges from the trees down towards at Violet. Shadow blocks Violet’s strike from her staff with his swords before beginning his assault. Shadow began to hack and slash towards Violet, pushing her back towards the trees. As he was, Fred ran up and two foot kicked Shadow’s side, sending the general back. Fred ran up to Shadow and brought his right wrist blade down onto the General’s sword. Shadow blocked the attack and began to slowly push Fred away. 

Fred: VIOLET! 

Violet activated her semblance and fired lighting at Shadow. Shadow used one of his swords as a lighting rod to deflect the bolts as Damson came up to Fred for an attack. 

Violet: Hotshot!

However, before Violet can attack, Eadwulf, now a giant, grabs Damson and throws him into the ground, forming a small crater. Shadow sees this and gains enough strength to launch Fred back into the dirt. He runs towards Eadwulf and jumps up to strike him. Eadwulf back steps to avoid the attack, making Shadow fall to the ground. Leia generates a shield below Shadow to protect herself from him. Shadow reels back a fist to punch the shield. 

Leia: Oh crap. 

Shadow punches the shield and breaks it. Shadow lands on the ground and punches Leia into a tree. He turns around and punches Eadwulf’s ankle and lower knee, forcing the giant to the ground. Shadow leapt over Eadwulf and lunged towards Violet. The two clashed, swinging and slashing towards one another, trying to get the upper hand in the fight. Shadow swung his right blade towards Violet’s neck, but was block by Fred holding his wrist blades up in defense. 

With the pressure against the two still active, Shadow removed his blades, using the force exerted by the teens which made them stumble a bit. Shadow grabbed both leaders and hit their heads together and threw them both in different directions. Eadwulf runs up to Shadow and throws a punch.   
Shadow activated his semblance, lowering his density, allowing the punch to go through him. Eadwulf begins to wail down on the general, all his punches phasing through the man. Finally, Shadow increases his density and Eadwulf punches his super dense form. Eadwulf clutches his hand and screams. Shadow backhands Eadwulf sending the Faunus flying and knocking him out. 

Leia forms three layers of shielding around Shadow and smiles. Shadow increases his density even more and punches the shields, breaking them all with two punches. 

Leia: I hate this job sometimes. 

Shadow ran up and punch Leia in the face, sending her into the ground, knocking her out as well. He returns to his original density and cracks his neck and returns to battle.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
On a ridge over looking the battlefield, a group of Ombre’s snipers are knocked out or shot on the ground. Sword clashes are heard in the distance. Roz is thrown into the rock and dirt below her and rolls along the ground. She stops herself and looks back to her opponent, Isaac, standing over her. 

Isaac: Roz. 

Roz: Just shut UP! Do you want to say anything else other than the same speech you have given me since I joined Onyx! When will you understand? There is no beating Salem! There is no beating Onyx! 

Isaac: I know why you do this. It’s the same reason why I do it too!

Roz: No you DON’T!!!

Isaac: It’s survival, Roz! We both act out of it. But you decided to run off when you realized what the four of us were trained to be up against. You were always known for that spite back in the day! Where is that spite now, huh?! Where the hell is it NOW?! You act out of fear and survival because of that childhood you were forced to live! Don’t let a few years dictate the future of this world! Don’t become a man like Lionheart! A coward! I know you have that courage! So, act in spite of that fear! Don’t let it control you! So… let’s go. Leave this place with me and them. Help us fight Onyx and win. We can grow old together, live together. Live in a world where we don’t have to see one another and draw a knife into the other’s throat! That’s a world we both know can exist. So let’s make. Make the world we dreamed of years ago. Together. 

Isaac extended his hand out to Roz. Roz just looked at Isaac and then down to the woods below where she saw the forces of the Lower Cabal and Ozpin’s resistance fighting one another. She returns her gaze to Isaac who gives her a smile. Roz glances around the territory and then back to Isaac. She gives him a smile and slowly walks up to him. The two look at one another, smiles on their faces. Roz turns her head around and the two of them lock eyes. However, a pink crystal comes from the ground, summoned by Roz to try and attack Isaac. After the crystal raises above Isaac, the latter throws a punch towards her face. 

Roz dodges the attack and grabs Isaac’s wrist and spins around to his back and got Isaac into a hold. 

Isaac: I guess we both were liars, huh?

Isaac kicks Roz in her stomach and rolls forward. While in the roll, Isaac grabs Lamb to the Slaughter and spins around to swing at Roz. Roz blocks the strike the two slide back. They lock eyes once again and lunge towards one another yet again.   
_____________________________________________________________________________  
Back inside Land of Darkness, within Onyx’s Citadel, April and March place two more grenades on top of a bullhead before slowly moving to its bow and its picked up by Mason and Evie respectively. The four hoist themselves up onto the upper walkways and look at the fruits of their labor. Bombs covered the entire hanger bay and more so throughout the tower. 

Evie: Is that all of them?

April: Yeah. That’s all of them. 

Mason: Alright. Now then, as my son would say, let’s blow it. 

The four silently leap down from the upper walkways and towards a bullhead. Mason inspects the coast and waves his hand to signify they should all run. They all do and Evie gets into the pilot’s seat with Mason acting as a co-pilot. 

Mason: You sure you got this? You haven’t flown a bullhead in about 15 years. 

Evie: Yeah. I think. 

Mason: Yeah. Sounds like you. 

Evie: Oh. You know me so well. 

With that, the bullhead began to take off and finally fly outside the confines of the citadel. After flying for a few seconds, Mason turned back to the other two on the ship. 

Mason: March. April. (He tosses his detonator to April) If you would?

March: (Chuckles) With pleasure.   
March and April smile at one another and press the detonators. Inside the citadel, bombs go off all around the area. Some blasts knock away or out right kill some of Ombre’s troops and Grimm inside the tower. The hanger bay completely erupts and everyone or thing inside is destroyed. 

Inside the meeting hall, Onyx is overlooking the domain when the tower shakes and he stumbles a bit with it. He turns around with anger in his face. 

Onyx: What? Was that?

In a different section of the tower, Lavender also shakes from the explosions and looks out the window to see the stolen bullhead fly off and away from the tower. Lavender smirks and laughs a bit to herself at the sight. 

Lavender: You actually did it. (Laughs) You smug little-

Lavender turns around and begins to walk towards the meeting hall. She pulls out several cards of Lien and begins to count them. 

Lavender: Worth it. 

Back on the ship, the four escaped prisoners stand around in the cockpit. 

April: So…where do we go now?

Mason: Oh, I have an idea. 

Evie: That makes two of us. Farkas?

Mason: Farkas. 

Mason cracks his neck and his knuckles. 

Scene cuts to black.


	5. Long Live the King

After the opening, back inside Land of Darkness within Onyx’s citadel, the lord himself walks through the halls down to the destroyed hanger bay. As he is walking, three troops roll another on a cart away from the bay. The soldier on the cart is screaming in agony and pain. Onyx glares at the four before walking some more and finally reaching the hanger bay. 

Onyx opened the door and on the other side were destroyed ships, soldiers and even a few Grimm dead or slowly dying. Others were putting out fires as more were trying to salvage what they could. It had been like this throughout the tower with many soldiers trying to grab food, ammunition and medical supplies for the injured. Inside the hanger is Lavender, on her knees with a medic over looking a wounded soldier. She looked up and met Onyx’s gaze. Lavender spoke silently to the soldier and got up and walked to Onyx. 

They met half way and began to walk throughout the hanger. 

Onyx: What happened in my citadel?

Lavender: Somehow the prisoners escaped. 

Onyx: How did that happen? We had cameras. 

Lavender: Unknown at the moment. Regardless the prisoners were able to find the armory based on the countless explosives and weapons missing. And well, you can guess what happens from there. 

Onyx: Evidently. Still, I find myself wondering how this could have happened. 

Lavender: Well, we did send a quarter of our troops to Dr. Volt’s offsite laboratory. And our prisoners were two well-trained huntsmen and the others were General Ombre’s lifelong enemies. 

Onyx: Are you questioning my decision to protect our interests in Vacuo?

Lavender: No! I-I-I mean, no, my Lord. I was just saying that perhaps the prisoners exploited that decision and used it as cover. Either way, they will pay for what they have done to our men. 

Onyx: Oh I care very little for the soldiers or the property. I care about how the prisoners escaped and who helped them. 

Lavender: An interesting question. 

Onyx: An interesting question? Really? Is that all you have to offer towards this little…back and forth?

Lavender: Uh, well, perhaps a culprit?

Onyx: And whom do you prepose is behind this?

Lavender: I believe this to be the work of Farkas Barna. 

Onyx: What would a bandit leader want from this conflict that we have not already gifted him?

Lavender: Well, Detective Ignis and Farkas Barna do have a history together. Perhaps it is through that history that one might feel guilty for betraying their “brother in arms” to such a powerful foe that they are then compelled to assist them by any means. That or playing into the bandit side of Barna, he could have freed Ignis in the hopes of becoming an ally. Perhaps he views you as…weak, sir. 

Onyx simply stands still with his hands behind his back, taking in the thoughts. 

Onyx: Noted. 

Onyx proceeds to walk through the rest of the hanger to assess the damages. Lavender sighs to herself before running up and alongside him. 

Lavender: Uh, sir. With this attack and the battle that could possible hinder our forces further on near Dr. Volt’s laboratory, I believe it would be wise to gather more troops for our invasion of Vacuo. 

Onyx: And where do you prepose we gather these “forces”?

Lavender: Vacuo is littered with nomads, bandits and mercenaries. Surely we can pay a price for them. Sir, we don’t know what type of causalities we could suffer out there. 

Onyx: Which is why I sent an extraction force with General Ombre. 

Lavender: My-My, Lord?

Onyx: Lavenza will return with his work he has done with Project Judicator. He will complete it here if he must but he will complete it. And then, all those troops we have currently, will be useless to us. Additional canon fodder. The Grimm will suffice for us. 

Lavender: These are good men!

Onyx: Which is why we will be…discharging them after their needed service is completed. Is that understood? 

Lavender glances around before gulping and returning her eyes to Onyx. 

Lavender: But sir-(Onyx turns his head back and glares at her) Y-Yes. My, Lord. 

Onyx: Good. Lavender you are in charge of reconstruction until Ms. Quarzo can return. I have business to attend to. 

Onyx walks out of the hanger and back into the tower as Lavender returns to her work.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Onyx walks into a small room. Inside is a bed with several windows, a desk and candles and other oddities such as the head of a Beowolf on the wall. On the desk is a little stuffed, black colored dog. From the corner of the room, a Seer Grimm comes into the center. Onyx bows before it as a projection of Salem emerges. 

Salem: What has happened?

Onyx: Nothing of serious concern. 

Salem: Onyx. Do not toil with me. 

Onyx: My…original plot to use the kin of the Ignis and Fumi had…failed. They escaped. 

Salem: And what do you intend to do about it?

Onyx: Currently nothing. 

Salem: Nothing? Do you care to explain this course of action?

Onyx: Your Grace, with respect, my priority is to ensure the completion of Project: Judicator by all means. Furthermore, conduct the invasion of Vacuo. Additionally, they know not where their kin are. Which means, how will they know where to look. Use their scrolls?

Salem thinks about the situation and returns her gaze to Onyx. 

Salem: Very well then. However, if this little…debacle does set either of us back-

Onyx: It certainly will not. And if it does, I will handle it. Worry not, your Grace. 

The projection disappears and the Seer floats back to the corner. Onyx walks over to his desk and sees the stuffed animal dog. He picks it up and looks at it again. Behind the dog, a projection of Salem and Ozma’s youngest daughter is shown playing with the dog. A younger Onyx enters the projection and the girl hops onto his back and commands a charge forward. Past Onyx laughs and a pan around shows him playing with the little one while Salem and Ozma look on in happiness. 

Onyx sighs before he kisses the dog and places it back onto the desk and walks out to a balcony. Once there, Onyx stands up straight before breaking down, crying and then screaming in pain.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
The woods outside of Lavenza’s lab are still destroyed. However, compared to earlier, few gunshots are heard as more and more of Ombre’s troops diminish in size and scale. Nearby the crash site of the BIC Airship, sword clashes are heard. Finally shown, Fred is backing away from an incoming sword slashes from Shadow. Shadow brings a blade down onto Fred, the latter blocks with his right wrist blade. 

Shadow spins around and brings both his blades down towards Fred again. Fred raises both his arms and blocks the strike. Fred then side kicks Shadow’s stomach forcing the general off of his pin. Shadow attempts to strike with his left, however, Fred goes down and enacts a break-dance maneuver, swinging both legs. One clashes and knocks the sword a bit back while the other hits Shadow’s hand, making him drop the blade. 

Shadow throws his other sword back into his left hand and swings, aiming for Fred’s torso. Fred leans back with his knees and evades the attack. Fred reaches down for the ground and handsprings into Shadow’s chest. Shadow slides back. Once he looks up, Fred is in the air going for an axe kick. However, Shadow sidesteps the attack and grabs Fred’s ankle and throws him into a sheet of iron. Shadow cracks his neck and grabs his other sword and begins to make his way towards Fred. 

Shadow: Last time, I made the mistake of focusing on the other two members of your little team. Do note that this time, you will be the first to go over anyone else in this field. 

Shadow draws his blade back to strike Fred. However, before he can, Leia opens fire upon Shadow. Shadow slides back as Leia lunges towards Shadow and begins to whack and hit Shadow further and further back. After hitting Shadow across the face, Leia spins around and places her rifles away. After she does, she spins back to Shadow and forms shields on her knuckles to act as gantlets. 

She thrusts them into Shadow’s chest and Shadow flies through the air and rolls along the ground before hitting a tree, taking him out of the fight for a moment. Leia runs over to Fred and kneels down next to him. 

Leia: You ok? 

Fred: Yeah. I guess. Though I wouldn't be surprised if I have a concussion. 

Leia: I’ll run a medical scan after we win this thing. 

Fred: Incoming!

Fred quickly got up and blocked an attack coming from Damson, who lunged towards the two. Fred is currently struggling to hold back Damson. Damson snickers as his tail comes around to attack Fred. Fred is able to see the attack and shove Damson’s knives back and cheat-seven 7 the tail, deflecting it. The two then continue their stance. 

Leia looks behind them and sees Shadow running up to attack them as well. Leia forms and shield between the two but Shadow is able to burst though the shield and to attack the teens. Leia raises her clubs and blocks Shadow’s attack. The two teens are slowly getting pushed back by the Cabal members. As Shadow is gaining the advantage against Leia, Fred removes one of his blades from attacking Damson and blocks Shadow’s next strike against Leia. 

Damson brings down his free blade towards Fred’s torso. However, Leia does the same act as Leia and blocks the attack. The two are able to hold off the two Cabal members, clearly struggling against the pin. Luckily, Violet and Eadwulf ran up and tackled Damson and Shadow respectively. Violet and Eadwulf flip off of the ones they tackled and returned to the attack. Fred joins Violet in attacking Damson as Leia goes to help Eadwulf with Shadow. 

Violet and Fred lunge towards Damson to attack. Damson flips himself onto his stomach and blocks both attacks with his tail. He follows with a spinning kick handstand that staggers them before a second forward handstand kick sends them both away. Laughing, he gives chase to the two teenagers, but Fred and Violet formed lighting from their hands and unleash the lighting towards Damson. 

Damson raises his knives to block the attack, however, he is electrocuted, only for a little bit. Violet leans her staff over in front of Fred. Fred grabs the staff and spins around and throws Violet towards Damson. Damson is no longer stunned by the lighting but is kicked in the face by Violet. While on the ground, Damson looks up and sees Fred coming down to kick him again. Damson rolls out of the way as Fred lands where Damson once was. The Faunus wraps his tail around Fred’s wrists and Damson is able to spin around Fred to regain footing. 

Damson uses his tail’s strength to spin around again and throw Fred into Violet. While flying through mid-air, Fred rolls over Violet and catches her bridal style and slides across the ground, stopping before a tree. 

Violet: (playfully) Well, aren't you a gentlemen. 

Fred: (Sighs) Do you always have to do this in the middle of a fight?

Violet: You know why I do this! 

Fred: (Sighs) After this is all over, we are getting you a therapist. 

Violet: Thank you! I’ve been meaning to get one but they are all that-HEY INCOMING!!!

Violet fires two rounds from her staff at the charging Damson. She misses and Damson lunges towards them. Both their eyes raise in shock at the sight. 

Back with Leia and Eadwulf fighting Shadow. Shadow grabs Eadwulf and throws him away to deal with Leia singlehandedly. He swings but Leia ducks and flips over Shadow and lands behind him. She spins around and kicks him in his side but is blocked by Shadow’s elbow. Shadow goes to kick her head by Leia raises her wrist and forms a shield and blocks. As Shadow goes for another swing, Leia evades and elbows his forearm and then elbows his face, finally ending the combo by punching him in the face. 

However, Shadow responses by doing the same to her and pushes her back even farther. Eadwulf runs back into the fight. Shadow places his swords back in their sheaths and throws a punch towards Eadwulf. Eadwulf slides under the fist and behind Shadow. Shadow turns around and the two grab each others hands, entering a mercy match. The two keep in a total standstill, matched in strength. 

Shadow: Not bad for a child. 

Eadwulf: Not bad? I’ll show you not bad!

Eadwulf begins to use his semblance to expand and strengthen his muscles against Shadow. Shadow begins to fight back, keeping Eadwulf in check despite the semblance use. However, as Eadwulf grows larger and larger, Shadow is pushed down further and further. Shadow uses his semblance to shift his density and phase through Eadwulf’s hand. He reforms and jumps up to punch Eadwulf. However, before he can, Eadwulf collides his forearms over Shadow and crushes him between them. 

Shadow began to push them apart to escape. However, Leia, from the ground, forms a shield over Shadow and pushes the general to the ground. Before Shadow could stand back up, Eadwulf begins to repeatedly stomp on the general, over and over and over again. Once he is down, Eadwulf reaches down and picks up Shadow and punches him again, sending Shadow flying. Eadwulf shrinks down to normal size as Leia forms a platform for him. Eadwulf leaps from the platform and flies towards Shadow and punches his chin, sending the general further away. 

Shadow rolls onto the ground, his silver aura shattering and breaking. Shadow looks on stunned by the act and slowly gets back up. Both Leia and Eadwulf look on in determination as they brought down the titan. 

Violet: Eadwulf! Look out!

Eadwulf turns around and is tackled to the ground by Damson. Eadwulf throws a punch, but Damson pulls back and bites down on Eadwulf’s pinkie finger. Eadwulf screams in pain as Damson pounces off of him and began to eat. Violet gasps in shock as Eadwulf rolls over and shows his finger is removed and eaten off. They all look at Damson as he swallows the finger whole. Violet looks on in anger as rage boils, she runs towards Damson. However, Damson is able to pounce on top of Violet and reels back to attack her. 

Fred’s world slows down and Fred throws a punch towards Damson. Fire erupts from his fist and pushes Damson back next to Shadow as Fred’s forearms become that of the Guardian Armor. After the attack, Damson slowly gets up only to have his purple aura shatter and break. Damson snarls at Fred, reeling up to attack. However, Fred stomps the ground and a lava river forms between the two parties. 

Everything goes silent until Ing flies through the air and lands in front of Shadow and Damson. Everyone looks on in confusion until Llew and Stier come crashing down towards the group. The two land and Llew goes quickly to swing at Stier. The captain evades by ducking and spins around, carrying his cannon around with him. 

He misses Llew but activates the cannon’s chainsaw bayonet on it and brings it down onto her. Llew blocks the attack and Stier unleashes strike after strike. As Llew is pinned, Violet fires off two rounds from her staff which Llew notices. Llew teleports next to Ing grabs him and teleports besides Eadwulf. The shots from Violet hit Stier in his cannon and face, sending the captain flying back and sliding across the ground. 

Everyone allied with Fred stands ready to attack as Stier slowly gets back up. 

Shadow: Do we have anyone else? 

Stier: NOW!

All around the clearing, several Ombre soldier emerge and open fire. Fred blocks a few bullets as Leia raises a shield around them. Shadow, Damson and Stier begin to walk away from the fight. 

Shadow: Alert the Doctor, tell him to evacuate the area. 

Stier: Yes, Sir. 

Damson: We need to stay and kill the boy!

Shadow: Of course Damson, you can remain here in your auraless form and engage a group of teenagers that were able to overcome our forces. When you get hit by a stray bullet, don’t come crying to me. 

Damson: Sometimes I think you care to much for Volty. 

Shadow: I don’t care about him. I care about what he can do. Now move it. 

The three take off towards the mountain, leaving the soldiers to deal with the teens.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
On the bullhead carrying Mason, Evie, March and April, he four appear to have a comfortable flight. 

April: So, where exactly are we going to?

Mason: Nearby here is an old bandit tribe. The same tribe that threw my wife and I into the pit where we met you. 

March: So, this is some sort of revenge trick?

Mason: Isn’t that what you want to do with General Ombre?

March stays silent and just sits back down. The Ignis then pilot the ship closer to the ground. However, once they do, the ship shakes and the engines explode. 

April: What’s happening?! 

Evie: We’re hit! WE’RE GOING DOWN!!!

The ship crashed down into woods along the coastline of Mistral. After landing, all four were knocked out and the door open. Mason slowly opened his eyes only to be punched in the face. 

???: Where’s our governor?! Our captain?!

Mason: Wha-

???: Don’t joke with me!

March: Lune?

Mason and the man turned their heads to face March. 

Lune: S-Sir? (Stands at attention) Sir! It’s a-it’s good to see you again. 

March: Likewise. Is there anyone left?

Lune: The whole crew is outside. (Turns and jumps out of the ship) We got Fumi!

Cheers from outside were heard as Lune reached down and grabbed March and April hands and pull them out. 

Lune: So, you are?

Mason: Mason Ignis. This is Evie Ignis. 

Lune: You know an Ember Ignis. 

March: Just imagine May’s team only triple their skills. At least I’m assuming. 

Mason: Good assumption. 

Mason grabs Lune’s hand and does the same with Evie. 

Lune: So, why were you all flying around here for?

April: Well, ask the huntsmen?

Mason: Just doing some jobs. And this job involves striking back at both Lavenza and Ombre.

Lune: Well, now you got the boys interested. 

Mason looks out and sees the entire crew of the Bluejay weapons armed and ready for a fight. 

Evie: Well. What’s the plan here?

Mason: I have a couple ideas.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back to the woods before Lavenza’s lab, May and Ember leap onto a tree branch just before the mountain’s base. 

May: A cave?

Ember: Entrance to the main stronghold if I were to wager. Shall we?

May: After you. 

Ember: (Chuckles) Such a lady. 

Ember leaps down from the branch followed by May. She draws her blade and converts it to her sniper and takes aim, covering Ember. Ember kneels down and knocks onto the ground, clanging is heard. 

Ember: Yep. Metal. Definitely man made. 

May: And your point?

Ember: Confirming suspicions that this is a forward operating base. (Bangs fist together) Ready to see what we can destroy in there?

May: Or just see what’s in there and NOT destroy it. 

Ember: I’m wagering destroy.

May: Yes. You are destroying my brain cells. 

Ember sinks down a bit and has an annoyed look on his face. May puts away her sniper rifle and simply walks by and doesn't acknowledge the look on Ember’s face as she does. After she does, Ember regains his composure and stands back up and follows her inside. 

Ember: You love me.

The two begin to enter Lavenza’s lab. 

Scene cuts to black.


	6. Fort Volt

After the opening, Shadow, Stier and Damson return to the crow’s nest over looking the woods that contained the battlefield. As they arrive at the top of the cliff, bullheads and five other Ombre soldiers are loading the ships and getting ready for a take off. Soldiers load up crates of Volt’s new formula onto the ships. Stier looks back to the other side of the gulch and sees Isaac and Roz battle one another. 

Shadow: Be prepared to take off and evade the potential incoming fire from the enemy. We need to be ready for any-

Stier: Sir? (He points to Roz and Isaac) Should we be concerned about her?

Shadow: She can handle herself.

Shadow returns to walk towards the bullhead. However, before he gets on, he stops and turns back around to face Stier. 

Shadow: I thought I told you to call Dr. Volt. 

Stier: I did. He told me he had a bit more equipment and materials to “conduct” with. 

Shadow: (Sighs) Very well. You are the only one of the three of us left with an aura. Get down there and get him out. I don’t care what else he has to purge. 

Stier: But sir, is it not protocol for-

Shadow: If he lives, Luna has a chance. And this month is our last chance to bring her back! We need Lavenza alive now more than ever! 

Stier: Understood sir. 

Stier cocks his cannon and reeves up his chainsaw bayonet before going down the cliff back towards the lab. Shadow looks away from Stier and back towards Roz and Isaac on the opposing side of the cliffs. On the other side, Roz and Isaac continue their fight. Roz is thrown onto the ground by Isaac who leaps up into the air and plunges his sword towards Roz. Roz forms a shield above her chest and blocks the attack. 

She back handsprings up and the two begin to circle around one another. After doing a full rotation, the lunge at one another again and attack. Isaac swings his sword lower, aiming for Roz’s legs. Roz jumps up to kick Isaac but he ducks and brings his sword behind his back to block her next attack. Roz spins around to strike at Isaac again, but the latter keeps his blade behind his back and blocks the strike. While blocking, he too, spins around and now faces Roz.   
Isaac raises his sword and brings it down towards Roz’s head. Roz raises her own blade and blocks the attack. Isaac activates his semblance and lava is pushed towards Roz. When Roz sees this she gasps and then Isaac flings some lava up towards her. Roz stumbles back and is off-balance by the attack. Once she regains her balance, Isaac slashes at her, sending her into a nearby boulder, almost shattering it. 

She shakes off the hit and rolls out of the way to avoid Isaac’s next attack. She spins around with hopes of attacking him, but is stopped by Isaac grabbing her wrist. He twists it, forcing her kneel down next to him and drop her blade. Isaac takes his index and middle knuckle and hits Roz in the stomach, shoulder and forehead, rendering her immobilize. He steps away and removes his sword form the rock. 

Isaac: You know I never wanted this Roz. I never wanted to hurt or hunt you down. 

As he is monologuing, Roz fights through the stunned nerves and reaches for a vile within her jacket. 

Isaac: You and I were never meant to be this way! I treated you like family, Roz. We all did! You were my family! My adoptive parents took you in while we went to Sanctum together. Does that not mean anything to you? Do you think that it negatively affected me? My actual family that saw you like a sister and a daughter! 

As Isaac turns around to face Roz, she is up and moving once again and swings her blade to knock Isaac off of the plateau. Isaac stabs the side and stops himself from sliding off all the way. 

Roz: Funny thing about families, they know just where to get you!

Roz leaps down towards Isaac. Isaac removes his sword and raises it in defense as Roz strikes, sending the two of them down into the ravine below. Isaac and Roz slash two slices at one another in succession before returning to the familiar pin. Roz sweep kicks the back of Isaac’s leg, tripping him. Roz dashes next to Isaac and elbows him to the ground. Once on the ground, Isaac sweep kicks Roz, but she jumps and avoids the attack. Isaac gets up and and swings yet again at Roz. 

The two swing at one another multiple times before Roz engages a shield on her right arm and spins around and hits Isaac in his side and he flies into a tree and breaks it down. Isaac kneels up, panting and clearly tired from the fighting. He glances up and Roz is above him in the air with her sword aim right for his head. Isaac raises his hands up and activates his semblance. As the blade comes down, it quickly melts above Isaac’s hands. 

Once Roz realizes this, she pulls her blade away until only a tiny bit of it is left along with the hilt. She takes a few steps back to observe the damage as she stands there shocked. Once she removes the blade from her field of vision, Isaac reels back his legs and kicks her far off from him. Isaac slowly gets up and grabs his sword and walks over towards Roz. Roz is on the ground, panting, tired and still in shock by the destruction of her sword. He stops just before her as she reverts her gaze back towards him from the ground. 

Isaac: Are you ready to stop this? I know there is no convincing anyone else because you are reason in that group. Look, Fred and his friends, they’re going to be ticked at you. But I won’t be. I’ll do what I did back then. Support you. So, are you ready to come home and-

Roz summons a pink crystal from the mountain she has her back to and hits Isaac, sending him flying through the air. She pants as her aura shatters and breaks. 

Roz: I’m sorry. (Begins to cry)

She grabs the remains of her sword and grabs her side in pain as she slowly begins to walk to the other cliff with Shadow and evacuation crews.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Underneath Leia’s bubble, Violet and Ing are beside Eadwulf looking at his wound while Leia is struggling to keep her bubble. Fred and Llew are standing looking around at the incoming soldiers. 

Fred: Aura count?

Llew: Not good. 

Violet: I still got a good count. Leia?

Leia: Yeah. I’m good. Boss, what are you planning?

Fred: Think you can handle an Electro Burn?

Leia: I’m going to have to drop the bubble. The last thing I would want right now is having more than half a team of huntsmen dead because of it. 

Fred looks around, getting a bit more frustrated. 

Violet: Leia! Get ready to drop the shield!

Leia: What?

Violet swings her staff around and aims the tip of her shotgun towards the front of the bubble. 

Violet: I’ll handle the north! Llew, south! Leia, east! Fred, west! 

Ing: I got Eadwulf!

Violet: Good. Ready?

Fred runs over past Violet and enters a stance, some flames at the tip of his flamethrower. Llew backs up to stand beside Ing and Eadwulf. Leia slowly walked over opposite side of Fred and got ready for a fight. Leia glanced back towards everyone else to see if they are prepared. Violet looks over to Leia and nods. Leia takes a deep breath and lowers her bubble. 

Within seconds, Leia grabs her rifles and joins everyone in opening fire towards the soldiers. After raining fire upon the troops, a stray bullet goes past Fred and nearly hits Ing. Fred eyes widen at the sight and a quick flash of Abraham and Rouge appear. Fred turns back around and his Guardian armor activates. Fred flies up and burns away at the soldiers and trees, some fire erupts from the earth and hovers around Fred. 

Fred pushes the fire forward and almost half of the woods is destroyed. 

Violet: Hotshot!!! 

Leia: Fred! Calm down!

Fred turns his head to face Leia and Violet, fire still erupting in his eyes from the armor. 

Violet: Hotshot. It’s ok. We’re all fine. (Softly) It’s ok…it’s ok. Come down now. 

Fred blinks and the armor begins to diminish. He slowly comes back down to the ground and takes another deep breath. He rests his hands on his knees and keeps breathing heavily. 

Leia: You alright, Boss?

Fred: (Pants) Yeah. I’m good. I think. Sorry. 

Violet: You’re fine. Though that was pretty terrifying if you don't mind me saying. 

Fred: Yeah, yeah. (He stands back up straight) There’s still the mountain. And Eadwulf. 

Ing picks Eadwulf up and supports him while walking away. 

Llew: There should be some medical equipment on the ship. 

Violet: If you don’t mind, I would like to stay with my team. 

Fred: Fine by me. Besides, there is still something else on the ship we could use. 

Fred straps his goggles on and puts on a helmet along with Leia. Fred reeves up an engine and from the cargo bay of the ship, Fred and Leia riding the Crimson Dynamo comes out. Fred does a donut and takes off towards the mountain. As they are driving at high speeds, Stier appears right before them with his cannon aimed towards them. Stier opens fire at the two teens and Fred begins to evade the attacks. However, Fred drives too close to some trees that he is forced to drive back in front of Stier who is still firing at them. 

Leia forms a shield in front of them as they keep driving closer to the Captain. As they appear closer to him, Stier stops firing and raises his cannon and activates his chainsaw bayonet to face them. As they pass, Fred blocks the strike with his wrist blade. Leia takes out her clubs and knocks Stier back and gets him off balance. Fred spins around and does a front wheelie, crashing the back wheel against Stier’s head. 

Once Stier stands back up, Leia gets off the bike and begins to attack. She raises both her clubs and slams them down against Stier’s cannon. Stier fires his cannon, giving him enough force to speed around and try to attack Leia with the butt of the cannon. Leia falls back and kicks Stier in the shin, making her slide back. Fred leaps over them and attempts an arial attack against Stier. Stier activates his chainsaw and Fred’s boots land right on top of it. The two stay in stand still for a bit as sparks and smoke begins to rise. 

Fred leaps off and looks at his boots to see some smoke rising from them. However, Stier charges forward and attacks. Fred rolls forward and blocks the attack with his boots. He then swings his legs and engages in a breakdance maneuver and forces Stier to back up. Fred back handsprings up and bows down. Leia jumps over Fred and kicks Stier in the face. She flips through the air and Fred goes onto his back and Leia steps onto his boots and jumps back off. 

Leia leaps back over Stier and opens fire at him. After landing, Stier turns around to face her only to by whacked in the face by Leia. He turns around due to the force only to be met with Fred jumping up and kicking him in the face twice. He spins back around and Leia knocks him back once again. Fred attempts to kick him in the stomach but Stier grabs his kick. Fred backflip kicks Stier, forcing him to turn back to Leia. Leia forms a shield and bounces Stier off of it and Fred elbows him in the chin, making him fall and slide across the ground. Stier wipes the blood away and looks back to the two. 

Stier: Alright, you little spider monkeys. Play times over!

Fred and Leia nod at one another and charge forward. As Leia swings her clubs, Stier sidesteps her and elbows her back, knocking her down. As Fred comes up for an attack, Stier also sidesteps and gets behind Fred and suplex him. Leia comes back up into the playing field and wraps her clubs around Stier’s shoulder and pulls, dislocating it. She looks back, still ready to fight. Stier grabs his dislocated arm and pops it back into place. Leia’s eyes widen at the sight. 

Fred: What is this guy made out of?

Leia: Reinforcements on the muscles and joints. Fred, I think this guy is a walking tank.

Fred: Wouldn't be the first one. (Cracks knuckles) Won’t be the last.

Fred ignites some fire and lights his boots and begins to kick flames towards Stier. Stier rolls and evades them, but Fred recalls his fire into a ring around himself and spins in the air, unleashing more fire towards Stier. Stier avoids them, but is hit by more fireballs. Taking the remaining flames, Fred returns them to himself and creates a beam of fire and hits Stier sending him flying back. 

Unknown to them, his brown colored aura shatters and Leia opens fire. His arm is shot by Leia’s bullets and he begins to scream in pain and rolled onto his back. The two looked on in shock of the sight. 

Fred: Come on. We still got May and Ember. 

Fred begins to run off, but turns back around when he notices something is wrong. 

Fred: What’s up?

Leia: (Aims her rifle at Stier) I should. I should kill him now for what he’s done. To May. To Eadwulf. To us. 

Fred: That’s not how we do things. 

Leia: (Laughs) Right. Because all those White Fang and Ombre soldiers from the past year were so different. 

Fred looks down, a bit dejected. However, he does nothing to stop her. Leia grows a look more in rage as she looks at Stier. He looks up and sees her, still panting. However, she takes a deep breath and pulls her rifle back. 

Leia: No. He deserves to suffer like they did. (She looks to Fred) Let’s go! 

Fred nods and Leia runs past him and goes to the Crimson Dynamo. Fred looks back as Stier screams a bit more in pain. He joins Leia on the bike and takes off for the mountain.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
On the bullhead, Shadow is with Damson while waiting for the rest. Shadow is pacing while Damson remains neutral. 

Damson: We should just leave them now. 

Shadow: No! I want Volt alive. And I am not abandoning Stier, nor Roz. 

Damson: If you’re so worried about them, why not send some of your troops to investigate then.

Shadow grabs Damson’s arm and throws off the bullhead. Damson lands and looks back up to Shadow. 

Shadow: Excellent idea. You know Dr. Volt’s lab. Get him out of there now! I could care less of what remains. 

Damson: Why bother?!

Shadow: If you save one of the best assets the master and her Grace have, I’m sure you will be rewarded. 

Damson smirks to himself and chuckles a bit before taking off towards the lab.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside the halls of Lavenza’s lab, Ember and May are walking through the halls, weapons drawn as they observe their surroundings. The two keep looking at their surroundings with the two glancing at one another as they walk down the hallway. Finally the two come across the main chamber, a hallowed out iron chamber covering the walls. The two walk forward and finally see several vials and large test tubes are filled with a blue liquid and different Grimm with different appendages. 

Ember: What…is this stuff?

May: Mutated Grimm?

Ember: Definitely Lavenza’s creations. But I have no idea what these things could be. 

May: Weapons of war?

Ember: Yeah. That was one possibility I thought of. 

May walks up to a tube and inspects the Grimm, a Creep. From its back grows a few spikes and two small arms begin to grow from its chest. 

May: What is he doing? 

Lavenza: Evolution. 

The two look up towards the upper levels and sees Lavenza standing there. Ember and May aim their guns up towards them. 

Lavenza: And apparently, you two were not invited to our business meeting. 

Lavenza leaps down with his bayonet extended and readies a slash against Ember. Ember slashes at Lavenza and together cut through each other’s strike. Ember brings the tips of his knives back towards Lavenza. Lavenza brings his blade behind his back and side kicks Ember’s chest. May fires off some rounds towards Lavenza’s head, but he draws his blade and begins to deflect all her bullets. 

Lavenza dashes behind her within the blink of an eye and attempts to strike her. May fires off another around to spin around and blocks Lavenza’s strike. Lavenza maneuvers his attack and stabs the ground, propels himself forward and kicks May, making her slide across the ground next to Ember. As the two look back to Lavenza, he fires off four rounds, two aimed at each of them. They dodge the attack, but Lavenza dashes forward and and his blade meets May’s only for her to be kicked in the chin by him. 

Lavenza ducks underneath Ember’s slash but fails to block the next strike as it slashes his face. Lavenza reels his head back and headbutts Ember in the forehead. Lavenza nosedives forward, rolling when he lands, kneels down and spins his blade around towards Ember. Ember barely dodges the attack, with Lavenza moving behind Ember, their backs facing one another. Lavenza wraps his bayonet around Ember’s arm and pulled it, pinning him and making Ember scream. 

May runs up and Lavenza removes himself from Ember. May throws Wonderland towards Lavenza, but he leaps back and avoids the attack. May runs past and grabs her sword using a reverse grip. May rolls in front of Lavenza and with her reverse grip, slashes at his legs. Lavenza jumps up and lands on her blade and backflips, kicking her chin. After he lands, Lavenza glances over towards Ember and sees him open fire at the doctor. Lavenza back flips to evade but May as her sights on him and fires, hitting Volt in the shoulder, throwing him back a bit. 

Lavenza backflips back up to the higher levels and returns to the main computer. 

Ember: High and low?

May: Moving!

The two take off as Lavenza returns to his computer. He pulls up files of the Grimm within the tubes. 

Lavenza: No, no, NO! They are not ready! 

Lavenza hears the walkway clatter. He turns to his left and sees Ember standing there, waiting with his weapons drawn. Lavenza jumps up and leaps towards Ember. When he lands, Ember rolls forward and slams his knives down towards Volt, who blocks the attack. He uses his left hand to hold up his body and kicks Ember in the chest. Ember is in the air and backflips and lands on the railing of the walkway. 

Lavenza begins to unleash mighty slashes, actually cutting the walkway in half. He begins to do so and force Ember back trying to evade the attacks. As the walkway falls, Lavenza slowly walks through it, gaining ground on Ember as he slashes even more. Ember back flips and rolls along the walkway and aims his pistols at the doctor. Lavenza blocks the bullets and but is still enough to keep him in place as the bridge falls. Lavenza just glares at Ember as the bridge falls. 

Lavenza leaps forward and and cuts more of the bridge in half. Ember jumps back and begins to back step onto onto a rock formation holding up the bridge. Lavenza slashes upward and Ember flies up into the air. Ember extends his claw like finger nails and latches onto the stone wall. As Ember looked up to face Lavenza, the doctor fired off three rounds towards him. Ember evaded one but was shot by the other two and he falls to the ground. Lavenza walks up to him and stomps on his chest and aims the tip of his bayonet at Ember’s face. 

Lavenza: Now then…it is about time I finish off one of you insignificant children of bastards! 

From the upper levels, May fires off a sniper round towards Lavenza. He senses it and moves his head quickly to avoid the shot, yet something can be heard broken. 

Lavenza: Truly, my dear, do you believe that would have stopped me?

May: No. But it stopped whatever that was. 

A scream is heard and Lavenza turns around to investigate. His eyes widen in shock as one of the pipes connecting to a row of Grimm mutants was shot and is slowly killing the Grimm in all the pods. 

Lavenza: NO! 

Ember raises his legs up and attempts to do a similar move to Fred and kick Lavenza, but Volt grabs his ankle and attempted to stab him again. However, May ran down and blocked the attack before it could connect with Ember. Ember then kicked Lavenza’s leg and May spun around and kicked dust up into Volt’s eyes, blinding him. 

Lavenza: I do not need my eyes to see you both!

Lavenza then activates his semblance, Aura tracking. In his mind, the world becomes white while figures of May and Ember appear as pink and orange respectively. The figure of Ember runs up to attack. Lavenza back steps and evades the attacks, he then ducks under Ember’s arm and looks back to May who is also attempting to attack. Lavenza swings his blade, aiming towards her head. 

May twisted her blade and Lavenza’s blade slides down between the blade and the barrel of her rifle. She twisted the blade even more and snapped and broke Lavenza’s bayonet. Lavenza opens his eyes and has shock all over his face. Ember activates his semblance and punches Lavenza in the face, sending him to the ground below. 

May: Hold him off. I think I have an idea. 

Ember nods in response before snarling and jumping off and ran towards Lavenza. Lavenza stumbles up but is punched in the face once again by Ember, sending him into another stone wall. Even before Lavenza could fall to the ground as Ember ran towards him and began to punch Volt into the wall over and over again. As he does, rocks and other parts of the carven shake. 

May: HEY! (Ember turns to face her) Stop that! Or else this entire-No! Keep it up! Drop the mountain on this place!

Lavenza: (Weakly) No. 

Ember didn't hesitate and threw Volt down into the iron floor. Ember began to repeatedly punch him in the face, the fullest extend of his anger coming out. 

Ember: For my home! For May! For everything! 

Ember continued to punch him, forcing stalactites to fall onto some of the lab equipment. Chemicals spin and wires are cut and soon, a massive fire starts up. May gasps and leaps off the high-rise and runs towards Ember who is still punching Lavenza. 

May: EMBER! Ember come on we gotta go! 

Ember: You go! I’m finishing this! 

More of the lab erupts into flames as the mountain begins to crumble into itself. As some rocks fall before the entrance, May runs towards Ember after he punches Lavenza into another pillar of rocks. May steps between the two and begins to push against Ember. 

Ember: STOP! 

Ember is about to attack but he and May lock eyes for a brief moment. Ember is able to lessen his strength back just a bit as he looks into May’s eyes. A yellow shield forms before them and pulls them both back towards the entrance. 

Ember: NO!

The shield stops just as rocks fully cover the entrance. Ember and May look up and see Fred and Leia standing there. The four begin to run outside of the lab. On the upper levels of the lab, Damson runs in and looks at the burning lab. 

Damson: Lavenza! Leave! 

Inside, Lavenza gets up and looks around his at the fire and the destruction. He looks up at Damson. 

Lavenza: Not until the project is secured! Help me!

More fire spreads and rocks crumble. Damson looks around and scoffs to himself before leaving. 

Lavenza: Damson? (Sees nothing) Damson! A THOUSAND HELLS AWAIT YOU!!!

Finally, from Lavenza’s main workplace, a explosion goes off and the lab falls apart. 

Lavenza: Well played children. Well played. 

Lavenza closes his eyes and spreads his arms as the explosion consumes him. Outside, FLME stops and turns around as the fire from the explosion catches up. 

Fred: LEIA!

Leia and Fred turn around and use their semblances. Leia forms a bubble and Fred diverts the flames away from the shield. From the cliff, Damson and Roz get back inside the bullhead along with Stier. 

Shadow: Damson! Where’s Dr. Volt. 

The mountain collapses in on itself. Tears form from Shadow’s eyes as he attempts to run towards the wreckage but is stopped by Stier and Roz. 

Shadow: LUNA! 

Stier: Sir! 

Shadow: LUNA!!!

Stier: Get us out of here!!! 

The bullheads depart as the explosion finally dies down as Team FLME stands firm, with all four panting. Leia deactivates her semblance and walks over towards May and helps her up. 

Leia: You guys ok?

May: Yeah. We’re fine. Right Ember? Ember?

Ember looks at the wreckage of the lab. Fred stands up from next to May and walks over to him. 

Fred: Nothing could have survived that. Not even him. 

Ember: You know something Fred…you’re not always right. 

Ember then walks away towards the wreckage of the BIC airship. Fred just turns around and follows him. 

Fred: Come on. We need to get back to the others. It’s going to be a lot of walking for now on. 

Leia nods and her and May get up and follow Fred and Ember back to the others as the day they claimed victory. 

Scene cuts to black.


	7. The Next Dawn

After the opening, a campfire is burning with Team FLME, VILE and Isaac sitting around it, on the edge of a cliff. The cliff overlooks Lavenza’s old lab and food is being cooked with Fred controlling the flames and Llew turning the food. Ember is looking over towards the destroyed lab. Ing and Violet are bandaging Eadwulf’s hand. Leia and Isaac are sitting next to one another on a log with May on the other side. 

Violet: There…we…go! All patched up!

Eadwulf raises his hand as white bandages cover up his left hand, mainly the snub that was his pinkie finger. He sighs and looks over to Violet. 

Eadwulf: Thanks…thanks for everything. 

Leia: (To Eadwulf) You’ll get used to it. Hopefully. 

Eadwulf: Yeah. Not to rush you, Llew, but food?

Llew: Should be ready soon. Just be patient. 

Isaac: And then begins a celebration! You guys earned it! 

Violet claps and Leia and Ing cheer. Ing grabs one of the rolls from over the fire and cools it a bit before handing it over to Eadwulf. Eadwulf slowly reaches for it with his left. As he grabs it, he moves his ring finger down a bit to where his pinkie finger would be to have some pressure onto the area. He sighs to himself as Ing places a hand on his shoulder. 

Eadwulf: It’s going to take a bit of time…clearly. 

Ing: Well, we got your back. 

Violet: Just don't go chewing on it. 

Eadwulf: IT WAS ONE TIME!!!

Violet and Ing cant help but laugh at the little inside joke. Leia silently asks for context to which the four members of VILE debate back and forth about it among themselves on whether or not to tell her. Meanwhile May and Fred look over towards Ember who hasn't joined the group yet. Fred and May look at one another and Fred nods, both silently getting up and walking over towards him. The two of them sit down on either side of Ember. Leia also gets up and joins them, sitting down in front of them. 

Fred: You ok buddy?

Ember: I’m fine. 

May: Fox Boy…Ember. Talk to me. To us. 

Ember: I said I’m fine. 

Fred: If this is about Lavenza-

Ember: I said I’m FINE! 

May: Ember! (takes deep breath) Please, don’t make the same mistake I did. 

May slightly removes some of her glove and shows him her scars. Ember sighs and takes in a deep breath before returning his gaze out to the valley below them. He slowly grabs May’s hand and runs his fingers across her wrist. 

Ember: I never wanted this. 

Fred: Well. You kinda asked for this. You did come along. 

Ember: That’s not what I mean, Fred! You know exactly what I’m talking about!

Fred: If this is about Lavenza-

Ember gets up and faces his team. 

Ember: This isn't just about Lavenza! I didn't sign up for this! I’d signed up for an adventure with my friends. Go around places, make a name for ourselves and take down some random thugs because they had enough money to pay off the White Fang and go all in. Not literal gods and monsters! 

Fred: Well weren't you more motivated after Amber Square was attacked?

Ember: That was before we learned up we were truly up against! I thought it was some random Grimm controlled by an over zealous mad man! Not a god who has been after you and Ozpin for the past five-hundred thousand years! That-that is something outside our comprehension! And to be fair, I don't particularly think that a bunch of teenagers are ready for that level of combat. You may have gotten Ombre’s and Damson’s auras down, but that’s nothing compared to Onyx! 

Fred: (Sighs) Ok. You want to cop-out. We’ll find a town and get you an airship and you can get out of here. Get out of all of this and go home. 

Leia: (To herself) Really?

Ember: (Scoffs) R-Really? Just like that you’re going to let me go?

Fred: You want it. 

Ember: Tch. You love taking this moral high ground don't you?

Fred: Excuse me?

Ember: Whenever one of us complains about this or that, you step in and take over. Town’s destroyed, “I’ll handle it”. World ending events, “I got it to save you all”. What are you trying to prove, Frederic?

Fred: It’s what a good leader does! Sacrifice themselves for the sake of others! 

Ember: A good leader uses their assets and techniques to better the group! Not go down in a blaze of glory! Seems to me you’ve only become more arrogant since those powers of yours set in. 

Fred: (Points to the destroy lab) Arrogance died today because of you. And because of May. He was arrogant. Everyone here keeps me in check. Ember I swear to you, if I appear arrogant I’m sorry. It wasn't my intention. 

Ember: Like I said…moral high ground. 

Fred: I’ll show you the moral high ground when I-

Leia and May step between them. 

Leia: Ok. How about this? You two cool off for tonight and not question the good fortune. Yes, Lavenza is dead. Yes, we are up against things way out of our league. Yes, we are a band of misfits and outcasts who clearly do not know what they are doing half the time. 

Fred: That’s not exactly true. 

Leia: (Glares at Fred) And yes, both of you really get on our nerves. (Back to everyone with a smile) But that’s how life is. Look, none of us have it easy. With Fred and his destiny, Ember and your fears of the unknown and mine and May’s childhood, let’s just take this for what it is, a defeat over Salem. And celebrate that. We pushed back. 

May: We don't know what Onyx was trying to make but its gone now. And there is a town not too far from here. And I know it has an airship base. Like Leia said, let’s not question the good fortune and take this victory in stride. We’ve earned this night. 

Fred and Ember continue to look on to each other in a glare. 

Fred: I’m fine with that. 

Ember: For the time being, sure. 

Violet waves towards the four of them. 

Violet: Yo, Hotshot! Food’s getting cold!

Fred looks back to his team. 

Fred: Let’s go. 

Leia: Finally! I’m starving! 

May: Same here!

Ember doesn't say anything but walk past Fred and joins the group. Fred looks out across the valley and sighs to himself. He places his hand on the back of his neck and takes in a deep breath before glancing back to his friends. He looks back across the valley before taking in another deep breath and putting his hands inside his pant’s pockets and returns to the campfire.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Land of Darkness, within Salem’s meeting chamber, Onyx is standing before Shadow, Stier, Roz and Damson. Salem is off in the corner, along with Tyrian and Watts. Shadow is kneeling before Onyx as the lord is pacing before them all with anger on his face. From the corner, Watts coughs and earns everyone’s attention. 

Watts: If I may be so bold-

Onyx: You may not, Doctor. So, general, you mean to tell me that not only has Project: Judicator been completely obliterated, but Dr. Volt is dead. THAT…alone makes me question not only the use of you, but the use of you all!

Damson: Master, with respect, it was not just us to be blamed for the death of Dr. Volt, it was also the children. 

Onyx: Which is what makes the defeat even more humiliating!!! I had put much faith into that project, and now I am afraid I must resort to Lavender’s idea of recruiting…thugs in order to complete our goal. That is something I am not particularly fond of. 

Roz: Recruitment of that size could be a hassle. It could set us back a bit. 

Onyx: Exactly my reasoning for why this loss was such a FAILURE!!! Just be lucky, general, that your “beloved” is still with us, or that I personally do not pull out her plug. 

Shadow’s eyes widen and then shrink down into a glare. A sword is drawn and Onyx turns around to see Shadow’s blade pointed directly towards his face. Damson readies a stance of battle as does Tyrian. 

Shadow: Lord Onyx, try to understand that I am more valuable working AGAINST you than with you. Just be fortunate that you have the only thing left on this planet that I truly care about. However, you should know that she not a proper barging chip especially with the likes of me!

Onyx: Is that a threat, General?

Shadow: It’s a promise! 

The two continue to glare at one another, clearly wanting to kill the other. Salem walks up and places a hand on the shoulder of Onyx, making both stand down. 

Salem: Perhaps, Canary would be your next target? It was the next step of your supposed invasion of Vacuo. Consider this an active way for you both to prove your worthiness to me. 

Onyx glances back from Salem to Shadow. He cocks an eyebrow and gives Shadow a quizzical look. 

Onyx: Well?

Shadow: I understand. 

Onyx: That is not your only goal! If this mission results in a failure, I will not only have your head, but I will have the head of your beloved. (Shadow’s eyes widen) She may not be able to leave the confines of that pod, but she can live indefinitely with the cryo-sleep. So, do NOT fail me again. Do you understand that, Shadow?

Shadow: Crystal. Clear. Sir.

Onyx: Good. Mobilize your forces. 

Shadow: Master, I believe a wave invasion would be better suited for this endeavor. 

Onyx: General, I am not the one leading this assault. If you believe this “wave invasion” is the appropriate act then so be it. My life does not depend on the success of this battle. So, if this is what you believe would be most successful then who am I to disagree. Dismissed. 

Shadow nods and turns around and walks out. Watts rolls his eyes and follows Shadow outside the room. Onyx walks up to his other two lieutenants. 

Onyx: (To Roz and Damson) Meet with his troops about the attack. He is my new chosen do you understand?

Damson: Yes, Master. 

Onyx: Good. Depart. 

Roz and Damson bow and walk out. Damson glances back at Tyrian who places a fist over his heart. Damson does the same and Tyrian nods and smiles in response. Outside, Watts is following Shadow as he walks through the halls. 

Watts: General! (Shadow turns and faces him) Do believe me when I say this, good luck. And…I understand how close you were with Lavenza. If you need anything at all, please, talk. 

Shadow: Arthur. Save your tongue for someone who cares. And, do not make up lies about yourself. It will become a bad habit. 

Watts: Who said I was lying?

Shadow: We all know, Arthur. We all know. Good day. 

Shadow turns back, not caring about what Watts has to discuss further. Watts just rolls his eyes and looks at Shadow with anger and hatred.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside the woods of Anima, several crewmen of the Bluejay run throw the woods and take cover behind some trees. At the very front, Mason, Evie, March, April and Lune are currently behind a tree, taking cover as more and more crewmen get into positions. Mason looks out from his cover to see two wolf tribe members in uniform standing guard to a natural pathway through the woods. 

Lune: (Whispering) So, how do you want to do this? 

March: (Whispering) Lune, have the men break into three formations. We’re going to punch a hole into this place and-

Mason: (Whispering) No. I want him to know I’m here! 

April: (Whispering) And do what exactly?

Mason: (Whispering) Oh, you’ll see. 

Mason growls as he too, extends his claw like nails. Cut to the guards, one begins to sniff the air around them. After a couple of seconds of sniffing, the guard turns to the other.   
Wolf Tribe Guard 1: Do you smell that? 

Wolf Tribe Guard 2: I was born without a sense of smell, what do you think?

Wolf Tribe Guard 1: I’m just asking a question. Geez, you don't need to be a jerk about every-

A growl is heard and both look up to see Mason coming down and attacks them both. Inside a large thrown room, Farkas Barna is sitting at the head of the room with Lupo Grigio standing next to him. Suddenly, a holographic pops up with a Wolf Tribe member on it, looking very panicked and firing out into the woods. 

Wolf Tribe Guard 3: Sir! We-we need reinforcements! They’re everywhere! Oh shi-

The holographic shuts off and the room goes quiet. The doors burst open and the guard is thrown into the room, stopping just before Farkas. Lupo and the other bandits aim their weapons towards the intruders, Mason, Evie, March, April and Lune. 

Farkas: Mace! Buddy! Not that I don’t mind the visit, but did you have to be so rough with my men?

Mason: They’re mine men now!

Farkas: What are you-

Mason: I challenge you to a Chief Fight! Now!

Farkas: Listen, Mace, if this is over your uncle-

Mason: This is about so much more. And you know what it is I’m talking about. Or, are you too much of a coward to face me?

Farkas and Mason glare at one another. Farkas reaches down and pulls out his blade before giving Mason a growl. Mason does the same as the two look at one another with their blades drawn. Farkas roars and charges forward towards Mason. 

Farkas slashes at Mason who blocks the strike and begins to move backwards as Farkas increases the advancement onto Mason. As Mason stops to fight back, the two enter a quick standstill, slashing at one another but not landing any hits onto them. The two slam their blades into one another and Mason goes for a roundhouse kick. Farkas ducks and steps back to avoid the attack as Mason goes in for another two strikes, aiming for Farkas’ head. 

After dodging the third attack, Farkas is met with another roundhouse kick to his head by Mason’s heel. He rolls along the ground to and jumps up onto a pillar as Mason comes over to attack. Farkas pulls out his pistol and opens fire at Mason who rolls and blocks the bullets with his new sword. Farkas jumps back down and draws his blade and met Mason head on, as the two blades force themselves downward. Farkas elbows Mason in the face, but he response with head-butting Farkas as well. Farkas spins around to strike Mason from the side but is blocked by the latter’s blade. 

Mason jumps back as Farkas pulls out his pistol and opens fire once again, and like before, Mason blocks all the shots. Farkas leaps back onto one of the pillars and begins to throw bombs down towards Mason. Mason leaps forward and rolls along the ground to avoid the blasts, finally taking one head on as Farkas leaps over him. After Farkas lands, he draws his sword and runs towards Mason, the latter back hand springing and also drawing his sword. 

Farkas goes onto the offensive again as the two exchange blows and swings. After a couple of swings, the two back up and run and kick each other in mid air. After the kick, Evie looks back to Mason with a bit of concern. Both Mason and Farkas get back up, panting a bit from the kick, until Farkas removes two knives and throw them towards Mason, who ducks and evades the attack. After a growl, Mason and Farkas run up to one another and continue to exchange swings, however, it is Mason taking the offensive. After a couple of strikes, Mason grabs Farkas’ face and pushes him away. 

Mason then takes a few steps back as Farkas runs back towards him, swinging aimlessly now. Once the tow lock blades again, Farkas begins to repeatedly elbow Mason’s face, only to have the latter block his elbow with his left palm. The two break away and go back to swinging, ducking, blocking and exchanging sword strikes with one another until Mason gains the advantage and begins to push Farkas back towards the thrown. Farkas spin swings once again but Mason ducks, prompting the former to jump away, only to be met with Mason leaping up after him and kicking him in the stomach. 

Farkas gets back up and using his sword to kick up some dirt towards Mason. Mason shields his eyes but Farkas uses a grappling hook to wrap around Mason’s leg. Mason cuts it off but Farkas shoots Mason’s sword out of his hand. Farkas runs up to Mason and swings downward to attack, but Mason grabs his wrist to stop him. Farkas begins to punch Mason in the face, only to have Mason take it. Mason turns around, still with Farkas’ arm in hand, and pulls down, breaking Farkas’ arm over his shoulder. 

Mason throws Farkas to the ground and the latter begins to slowly crawl away. As Farkas stands back up, Mason kicks his face twice before kneeing his chin, making a tooth fly out of his mouth. Farkas falls to the ground, defeated as Mason grabs his sword and points the tip towards Farkas’ face. 

Farkas: Well? DO IT!

Mason reeled back his blade and thrusted it forward. However, Farkas opens his eyes and sees Mason has spared him. 

Mason: I command the tribe now. Not you. 

Farkas: (Sighs) I…yield. What would you have of me…chief?

Evie walks up to Mason and places a hand on his shoulder. 

Evie: Well? What’s next?

Mason: Simple…we find our kids. And put Onyx in the ground. 

Scene cuts to black.


	8. Canary Cries

After the opening, the sun rises over the mountains of Vacuo. May is watching the sunrise while sitting near the cliff. Next to her is a sleeping Ember, curled up into a ball like form. May runs one of her hands through his hair. After the third pass, she removes her hand from his hair and looks at her wrist and sees cuts into her flesh. She sighs to herself before returning her gaze out to the sunrise. Her ears perk up and she sniffs the air. She can hear laughing behind her and she turns her head over to see Leia walking over with two cups. 

Leia: Want some?

May: How’d you make coffee?

Leia: It’s tea. (She hands it to May.)

May takes the tea and drinks a bit from it. She smiles as Leia sits down next to her. 

May: Not bad. Could use some work, but not bad from what we got. 

Leia: Thanks. (Gestures to Ember) How’s he doing? 

May: He’s fine. A bit angsty, but he’s been like that for a couple of weeks now. 

Leia: Yeah. He wasn't wrong though. None of us actually signed up to do this. We signed up to beat up thugs, not fight gods. I mean…we all signed up to do some good for the world. Sure back then it was get away from that, get away from there, spite parents. (Laughs) I guess the Fall of Beacon really did change all of us. 

May: We…could join Ember. 

Leia: What?!

May: Well, Fred was offering it. 

Leia: SO?

May: So? What do you mean so? You said it yourself, we didn't sign up for this. This is Fred’s fight. Not ours. 

Leia: Stop thinking the short term. If we leave now, then what? What if Fred fails? Then it becomes our war. Sooner or later this war will become ours again. And Onyx will have the advantage over us. Even more power. As of now, everything is a even playing field. Look, I don't like it either, but I’d rather stay in the fight then leave and learn one of my only friends died. Besides…if I’m going out because of all this…then I’m going out swinging! Not some heiress or a president of a company. Not anymore at least. 

The two remain in silence as the sun fully rises over the valley. Far away from the two and the main camp site, Fred is sitting down, taking in a few deep breaths. The sun reflects off of his clothes and he takes another deep breath in. Fred opens his eyes once more and his eyes widen. Surrounding Fred is a world of red and fire. Nothing is the same. The landscape is different as he is now in a world of plains and cliffs. 

Fred gets up and walks around for a few seconds before coming to a stop. His eyes widen even more as a giant island is flying far away from Fred’s position. 

Fred: What the…? Where am I?

Abraham: (Off-screen) Hello, Frederic. 

Fred spins around and gasps at the sight. A bulky individual flies down to Fred. The wings vanish and the rocks vanish as well and Abraham stands there. He smiles at Fred. Fred’s eyes widen more as some tears fill his eyes. Fred doesn't say anything and hugs Abraham. Abraham hugs back. 

Fred: Is mom here?

The two let go and Abraham glances around trying to find a suitable answer. 

Fred: She’s not, is she?

Abraham: (Sighs) No. Look, Fred, I am-

Fred: Why all the secrets? Why keep all of this hidden from me? 

Abraham: Same reason why Ozpin and I had secrets. To protect you. To protect everyone. I didn't agree with his methods or some of his own acts, but when the time came, Ozpin was the one man I knew to stand besides. It brings me shame that I couldn't have stood beside him on that day. 

Fred: What day?

Abraham: The day we thought we we’re going to end the war. But clearly it didn't work. I don't even know if they went through with it. And if they did…Rosey’s dead. Now then…you are probably wondering, what this place is exactly? 

Fred: That is one of my questions, yes. 

Abraham: This. This is the Guardian Plane! 

Fred: (Deadpanned) Good name. 

Abraham: I did not come up with it. 

Abraham begins to walk away as Fred quickly follows behind him. 

Fred: What’s that?

Fred points off to the floating island. 

Abraham: That’s…also not something to concern yourself over. 

Fred: And you keep secrets again because…?

Abraham: Because, you, my son, are currently within a war that all of us have been trying to end of the past fifty-thousand years. 

Fred: All…of…us?

Fred turns around and gasps once again. Before him are thousands of men, women, humans and Faunus all hovering in the air. Abraham walks up to Fred a places a hand on his shoulder. 

Abraham: These, are all the past Guardians. (The Guardians begin to fly away) This is a spiritual realm for the Guardians. When one dies, their souls are transported to this place to live out the rest of eternity. Only through deep meditations can a Guardian access this place. But, that does not make your current state safe. 

Fred: So, am I, physically, still on Remnant?

Abraham: Yes. But your mind and soul are here for the time being. 

Fred: So, what exactly can I use this for. 

Abraham: Information. While only a few of us have actually faced Onyx, many more have the seen the temples. 

Fred: The temples?! Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go! 

Abraham: Relax, Fred. At the rate you will go, you will arrive at a town called Canary. If you keep moving a day by day’s pace, you should reach the temple by the Eclipse. By wary of that day. 

Fred: Why?

Abraham: Guardians loss their power during the Eclipse. It will only last while the Eclipse is occurring but that is more than enough time for a possible attack. 

Fred: Gotcha. Where can I find the temple?

Abraham motions with his hand and suddenly, the world around them changes. Like dust blowing, the red earth changes to that resembles Fred’s current position on Remnant. Abraham raises his arm and open his palm and the two fly forward throughout the territory. The dip into a valley and rise back up to a cliff. 

Finally, the scenery stops right on a cliff, overlooking a small town with a sign labeled “Canary” on it. Behind the town is a large mountain with the sun slowly rising behind it. 

Abraham: There. The mountain top will have the temple…and, someone more valuable. 

Fred: Who is that?

Abraham: His name is-(A rumble goes off) No. 

Fred: Dad?

Above them, a few Guardians fly over them and back to where they were originally. Abraham walks up to Fred and places his hands on his son’s shoulders and wraps the world back to their original spot. They turn to the floating island and see a majority of the Guardians firing and launching flames towards the island. A few rocks fall from the islands as the sky gets darker shades of red to it. 

Abraham: Primus!

Fred: What? Who? 

Abraham: Listen! You have to go! You’re weaker here. He can take you over. You have to go! The last thing we need is for Primus to return to Remnant without Oz nearby. Go! 

Fred: But-Dad? I-

Abraham: Believe me son, I had the same questions but you have to go! Tell Isaac and Ember I said hello. And (he hugs Fred) good luck…kiddo. 

Abraham pushes Fred back and suddenly, the boy goes flying through a vortex like world, sending him into the cosmos. Fred turns around and sees the eternal darkness and suddenly zooms towards a large armored being with huge flaming wings. The giant turns back to Fred and screams as Fred’s actual eyes shoot open and he returns to Remnant. 

Fred grips his his chest as he returns to his actual world. He looks up and his team, VILE and Isaac are all awake and sitting by a fire, cooking breakfast. Ember seems to glance away from Fred and returns his look to the fire. Leia, May and Isaac look back to Fred. 

Isaac: You alright there little brother? 

Fred glances around, his head not moving but his eyes are. Fred glances back up to his friends and raises his head to face them completely. 

Fred: Guys!  
______________________________________________________________________________  
In the middle of a desert, a town similar to Fred’s vision, is shown. A strong wind blows some dust out of the land and into the air. A sign is shown with the name “Canary” on it. A boot lands right in front of the sign as someone appears before the town. A hand is also shown and a fist forms from it. The figure then begins to walk forward towards the town. 

Inside an office of some form of administrative building, a young looking woman with some scales along her arms and face walks into the office. At a desk within the office is a large man with black hair and a thick black beard and blue eyes. The man picks up a stacks of papers and crossing and writing on a few. 

Faunus Woman: Eh, sir? Jet? Eh?

Jet: Ebony! What seems to be the issue?

Ebony: Uh, sir, well, um-

Jet: Ebony. (Chuckles) Just spit it out. 

Ebony continues to struggle to speak. Jet rolls his eyes and leans forward on his desk. He glares a bit towards her. 

Jet: Spit. It. Out. 

Ebony: You’re brother…is here to see you. 

Jet’s eyes widen. He leans back in his chair and takes a deep breath before leaning forward again and places his hands on his head. 

Jet: Alright. Send him in. 

Ebony walks back outside and nods. She steps out of the way as the same man from outside the town steps in. Ebony steps out as the man walks over to the desk and stops before a chair opposite Jet’s. 

Jet: You have some nerve coming to my town after what you have to the family. 

The man gestures to the chair in front of him. Jet rolls his eyes and nods. The man sits down to reveal Shadow Ombre himself as he sits down. 

Shadow: It’s…good to see you again, Jet. 

Jet: Save it! You should be fortunate that I haven't had the militia come in here and have you executed right now! (Shadow looks distraught and begins to look around the room. Jet sighs and gets up and walks over to a stove within his office.) Would you like some tea?

Shadow: Certainly. I still do not understand why you keep those…animals here?

Jet: If you want to make this meeting even shorter, I suggest you keep talking like that. 

Shadow nods and cuffs his hands together before leaning back in his chair and crosses his legs. Jet resumes making and now pouring the hot tea into two cups. 

Jet: That’s the first. 

Jet removes the teapot and brings over the two cups, both on small plates. He hands one to Shadow and keeps the other for himself as he sits back down onto his seat. Shadow takes a sip as Jet glares at his brother, showing anger in his eyes. Finally, Shadow stops drinking and sets his cup down on the plate. 

Shadow: So…how has mother been?

Jet: Well…if you bother to fulfill your sentence and bother to read what I have written you, you would know mother died five years ago. 

Shadow: Oh…I…Was it peacefully?

Jet: Like you cared. Like you or father cared!

Both brothers lean back away from one another. Both sighing and taking deep breaths, letting them both calm down. Shadow rubs the back of his neck and Jet strokes his beard. Shadow and Jet look back to one another in their eyes. 

Shadow: I like the beard. Happy you grew it out. 

Jet: What do you want? 

Shadow: Business, primarily. It’s a simple request. I’m currently on a mission that requires your town as a station point. We move in for a few months, two at the maximum and then we move out towards Vacuo. Nothing of serious note. 

Jet: Nothing of serious note? Nothing of serious NOTE?! (He stands up and looks at Shadow) You are talking about bringing a heavily armed force to MY city! A city mind you that I had to move to-that mother had to move to because of what YOU DID! What father did!

Shadow: Jet-

Jet: You think I’m upset about leaving a comfy home in Vale?! NO! You destroyed generations of our name and legacy! Our task as future leaders was to ensure the peace between kingdoms! Not go around and kill anyone or thing in our path! You almost started another Great War with not only Mistral, but Menagerie, the entire Faunus people all over again!!! 

Shadow: Jet, that was twenty years ago. Besides they were bandits. Someone was going to do it eventually. 

Jet: Twenty years can still haunt a man! You forced us out of the kingdom! Mother and I had to run for our lives to escape those mobs and protestors just to ensure our safety! We gave up everything we had because of your damn temper!!! 

Jet throws his tea cup at Shadow who merely activates his semblance and lets the cup phase through him and onto the ground behind him before reforming back to original density. 

Shadow: I am asking a simple favor! Not an entire history lesson of the last twenty years with you! And if you bring up father, I WILL PERSONALLY…do “bad” things!

Jet takes a step back and is in shock. 

Jet: Really…“bad” things?

Shadow: Trust me, little brother. You and I both know what I am referring to. 

Jet just looks at Shadow and slowly changes his face to one of anger. 

Jet: Get out!

Shadow: Jet?

Jet: GET out!!

Shadow sighs and turns around for a moment. He returns his gaze to Jet and takes a deep breath before talking once again. 

Shadow: The people I have been working with for the past twenty years are the most powerful people on the planet. They want this town! They don’t care how but they want it! I’ve been tasked with ensuring victory, and with that victory, I get Luna back. 

Jet: Shadow…it’s been twenty years. She’s gone. 

Shadow: She’s alive! I’ve seen her! They have means of bringing her back but only if victory is theirs. Jet, I am offering you the chance to save your town and people. 

Jet: Despite the fact that most of them are Faunus? Did you suddenly have a change of heart and tolerate them? 

Shadow takes a step back and rubs the back of his head. 

Jet: That’s what I thought. 

Shadow: That “tribe” attempted to kill my wife. They killed over a hundred of my troops. I did what I had to do to avenge them!

Jet: You slaughter an entire group!

Shadow: How would you feel realizing that a parent was killed and the allies around them did nothing to save them, nothing to avenge them?! I avenged my brethren. It was at a cost yes, but I did it so that the families they left behind had closure. So that they weren't haunted, weren't driven to do something just as stupid. I took the blame for that attack. Not my troops. 

Jet: A slaughter is still a slaughter. They were innocent Faunus and had no right to be killed! We had already done enough to hurt them!

Shadow: So when the White Fang stormed Beacon, you were ok with it?

Jet looks away from Shadow, clearly upset and visibly angered. 

Jet: Get out!

Shadow: Still can’t face a good argument can you?

Jet: GET OUT!!!

Shadow looks back at Jet with a sympathetic look. He closes his eyes and reopens them to a cold, stoic like stare at his younger brother. He puts his hands in his pockets and begins to walk to the door of the office. However, he stops and glances back to Jet. 

Shadow: My offer will still stand. You have a week’s time to decide. 

Jet: And if I reject your offer?

Shadow: Then you will watch your town burn to the ground. Along with everyone in it. 

Jet raises his eye brows and sits back, eyes still wide. Shadow walks back to the door and leaves the office. 

Scene cuts to black.


	9. The Coming Fire

After the opening, a few Wolf Tribe members are carrying beams and weaponry. March and April walk with Lupo and guides two Blue Jay crew members and a Wolf Tribe member. Lune and Evie also talk with one another as more Blue Jay crew members and Wolf Tribe members carrying weapons and boxes and other supplies. Farkas grabs a bottle of liquor and sits down on a chair within the Wolf Tribe camp. Across from him is Mason, the now chief of the Wolf Tribe. 

Farkas: So…chief. What’s the plan here? Who we robbing? Another tribe? Another town? 

Mason: Farkas. I’m gonna need some guys. A lot. Of guys. 

Farkas: Like how many are we talking here? A couple? Thirty?

Mason: Half the tribe. 

Farkas: (Coughs and sits his drink up) Sorry what? Mace. That’s over 300 people. I can’t afford that. Not with my boys. 

Mason: Well, to be fair, they aren't your “boys” anymore. Now, I just need some men and heavy armaments. 

Farkas: What do you mean “heavy armaments”?

Mason: Rockets. Grenades. Cannons if you have any. Special ops teams if possible. 

Farkas: Whoa, whoa, Mace. Listen, “Chief”, I’m not willing to sacrifice my men for your own benefit. You may rule us, but by the gods, you can never control us. See that’s the joy of being a bandit, (takes a drink from his bottle) you can outrun them all. 

Mason: Even the guys that you sold us too? (Farkas coughs and looks back to Mason) Even the man who they serve. You know? One of the most powerful creatures on the planet. 

Farkas: So, you want to take the fight to whoever their master is?

Mason: That’s one way of putting it, yes. Listen, this is for the fate of the whole world. I just need some heavy gear and I’ll be on my way. 

Farkas: Mace. Listen to me now. I like this plan. Steeling and raiding people. Love it. Fantastic plan. But if this guy is actually as strong as you say he is, I’m sorry. I can’t afford that. Not for myself, or my people. 

Mason: They are my people too. And I rule them now.   
Farkas: You may rule, but you never had the respect I do. Mason, if this happens, I’m sorry, but I’m not letting you take these men to their graves. At least not all of them. I want survivors. Some of these guys have families. They just did this to make ends meet. Don’t punish them for that. 

Mason: I’m not punishing anyone. Farkas, just help us beat this mad man. I just need over 300 strong. 

Farkas looks around and rubs his chin. He scratches a few of his facial hairs before looking back at Mason. He leans in and takes one last drink from his bottle before throwing it away. 

Farkas: Fine. You get 300. That’s all. Plus a few grenades. And maybe, oh, I don’t…Forty rocketeers. (Mason nods) I…expect no fewer than 100 to come back. Any less, and I’ll slit your throat. Any more….win, win. Deal? To all terms?

Mason: Deal. 

Farkas and Mason shake hands. After they do, they both slump back down in their chairs. Both sighing and looking around. 

Farkas: You really are that desperate?

Mason: Yeah. You wanna come with us? Be a good motivator. 

Farkas: No. They don't know you’ve taken over. If they come for the tribe’s leader, they’ll come for me. I’ll by you time. 

Mason sits up and places a hand on Farkas shoulder and nods. Mason forms a smile before laughing a bit. Farkas slowly joins him, chuckling out loud. Farkas reaches down and grabs two more bottles and hands one to Mason. 

Farkas: To the tribe!

Mason: To the tribe!

They clink their bottles before taking a drink. Along the tree lines, Lupo and Evie are standing and watching them. 

Evie: To war I guess. 

Lupo: Best of luck. While I am sworn to protect the chief by all means, I have a feeling they will come for the wolf’s leader. And if I am gone. 

Evie: They’ll know he’s not the leader. Good luck to you too. 

Lupo and Evie turn to one another speak in Ancient Mistralain before bowing to one another.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in the desert of Vacuo, Team FLME, VILE and Isaac Scorch walk across a hill top into another plain of the desert. Once the group crosses a hill, they all stop and look across the plains to see the town that Fred visited in his dream state and by Shadow, Canary. 

Leia: Well, there it is. 

Violet: Kinda surprising that a temple would be this close to a town. 

Isaac: Well, to be fair, the temples are thousands of years old. And this town can’t be that old. (They all begin to walk towards the town.) So, you said the temple was here?

Fred: Not exactly. The temple is near here. (He points to a large mountain behind the town) That’s where it’ll be. 

Leia: I don’t know boss. That’s not really the most ideal situation. And talk about a hike. 

Ember walks up to Fred and slaps his back and keeps walking. 

Ember: Then good luck climbing. 

Leia rolls her eyes as Fred just goes unfazed. Fred sighs and glances back to May who is bringing up the rear. 

Fred: (To May) Any thoughts?

May: It is a hike, to be honest. Although, I’ve seen worse. Besides, we can lay low here for a bit. Get, as Violet and Leia say, “Juiced up and reeved up”.

Leia and Violet: We do not say that!

The two girls stop and look at one another, basically glaring directly at the other. 

Violet: This. Is a problem.

Leia: You think?

The group all walks into the town. As they do, they can see the town busy moving around. An active market place is found, along with people out for a casual stroll and those just relaxing in the sun.   
May: Violet. Take your team and find the Barrow Hotel. 

Violet: Uh, how do you know-

May: Just do it!

Violet: Sheesh! Alright, alright. We’re going. 

Team VILE takes off. Ember walks up to May and places a hand on her shoulder to get her attention, which works. 

Ember: Gotta ask, how do you know a lot this place?

May: (Sighs) You’re about to find out. Come on. The administration building this down the main street here. 

Inside the office of Jet Ombre, the man is pacing back and forth, holding a compass in his hand. As he keeps pacing, he keeps mumbling something to himself. However, a knock is heard at his door. He walks over to open the door. Once he does, he glances downward a bit and his jaw drops at seeing May standing there. 

Ember growls a bit at seeing Jet and the name “Ombre” on his door. Leia also glares at the man while Fred and Isaac look indifferent. However, Jet grows a smile at seeing May to which, she also returns the smile. 

The group is all inside Jet’s office, all with tea cups in their hands. Jet sits at his desk with May, Ember and Isaac across from him. Leia sits in the corner of his office while Fred stands in the back. 

Jet: I am very delighted to see you again. 

May: Likewise…uncle. 

Jet: I’m surprised you still call me that. Despite what your…adoptive father has done. 

May: An uncle is no father. And a father is no uncle. 

Jet: Well. That was lovely. 

Ember: Yeah it is nice. So are her parents. Her ACTUAL parents. You know, the ones that were suppose to raise her! The ones that love her!!

Jet: You…they…(Sighs) Well, it is nice to know that Shadow’s tale was wrong. I had my suspicions. 

Leia: And yet, you never did anything for May.

May: Leia?

Ember: No, I’m with Leia on this one. Your brother’s a psychopath. A monster. 

Jet: Shadow’s…misguided.

Ember: Misguided? He killed hundreds. He’s a mad man that needs to be put down!

Fred: Lock it! (Fred walks up to Jet’s desk) Mayor Ombre, with respect to you and my teammates but I do a agree with them. Our trust in you will be something you must earn from us. It’s not going to be anything we will give up willingly. 

Ember: He speaks for himself. 

May: And what do YOU have to say on that matter?

Ember: …shut it. So…you were saying, “Mayor”?

Jet: Right. Now, as I was about to address. Why have you come here? Certainly you all have some form of mission or parentage some where else?

Isaac: Sir, we are on our mission. However, some times missions require breathing room. 

Jet: If you want to stay in this town, by all means. However, the way you speak it seems to be seeking asylum. 

Ember: Listen, Ombre. We just need a place to crash. Alright?

Jet: Not with that attitude. 

Ember: Attitude? In your dreams old man! 

May: Ember?! 

Fred: Cool it, will you? 

Ember: Sorry for not trusting an Ombre. 

Jet coughs gaining everyone’s attention. 

Jet: Thank you. I will grant your request. However, space is limited. And a local school is about to have graduation. So I ask that you depart quickly. 

May: We’ll be here no more than a week, uncle. 

Jet: I ask if you could make it shorter. 

Leia: Well, that will be kinda rough. It will take some time to restock on food and supplies. 

May: Also, uncle. If we could use the airship?

Jet: Airship? What would you want the airship for?

Fred: Our destination is that mountain just beyond here. And our last one, broke. A lot. That, and a few others would like passage elsewhere. 

As Fred says that, his eyes move to look at Ember who turns his head away in response. Jet slowly nods his head to confirm his agreement. 

Jet: Very well. I will see to what I can do. It will be limited. But, we shall see. Anything else?

Isaac: Maybe some intel on our destination? 

Jet: Eh, there’s not much to tell exactly. It’s just an old local legend. People claim an old hermit lives up there and can summon demons to fight the innocent. It’s just old superstition. 

Fred: Shouldn’t be a problem. After all, it is just superstition.

Jet: So be it. Is that all? I’m sorry, but business calls. 

May: That’s enough, uncle. Thank you. 

The five get up and leave the office. May stops at the entrance and turns back to Jet and smiles at him. 

May: It was good to see you again.

Jet: Same to you. Especially with…you know. 

May nods and walks out and closes the door. Once the door is closed, Jet leans forward and clutches his head and begins to mumble to himself. 

Jet: This just made things harder. Not now. Not them. Not now!  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside a tent, Shadow walks around a table containing a holo-map of the area. He begins to pace in front of it, holding his scroll and reading over different stats of his troops and weaponry. He sets the scroll down and looks at the map while scratching his facial hair. He then sighs and closes his eyes as Luna’s screams encompass his brain. 

Stier: Sir. 

Shadow’s eyes shoot open and he turns around. Standing at the entrance is Captain Stier, now with a cybernetic right arm. 

Stier: The troops are ready to move. Just give the word and we’re set. (Shadow remains silent) General?

Shadow: Do you think she would forgive me for this? For saving her? Prison made me ruthless. The battles made me ruthless. But if she’s freed, will she love the monster I am?

Stier: General. (Shadow faces him) I cannot speak for her. But Luna wa-is a sensible woman. She will understand. 

Shadow: I do pray you are right. 

Stier: (Scoffs) For my sake?

Shadow: For mine. (Shadow glances back at Stier) Vincent, deploy the troops. We move out at dawn!

Stier: Yes, sir. 

Stier turns and leaves. Shadow is about to leave as well, but stops and walks over and grabs a photo. The picture is his wedding day with him and Luna. He slowly moves his fingers over the picture of Luna. Tear drops fall onto the photo as Shadow let the emotional weight punch him. He shakes as he places the picture down and sits down besides it. 

Shadow says nothing but lays his head on his arms and begins to sob. A pan out of Shadow’s tent reveals that the moon has risen and night has begun. Regardless of the sounds, Shadow’s cries are heard the most and a pan to the moon to see a rock in orbit of it slowly move down the moon’s surface and looks like a tear. 

Fade to Black.


	10. Lies and Deceit

After the opening, Isaac is seen sitting on a flat rooftop, looking across towards the sunrise. While he stares directly at the rising sun, it does not seem to effect him at all. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. After exhaling the breath, the sound of a transformation is heard behind him. Isaac turns back and sees Bazaar Hiltzalie standing before him. Isaac stands up and walks over to his teammate. Upon arriving, he leans against the stone railing while Bazaar stands, seemingly unamused. 

Isaac: Well? You going to stand there and look pretty or are you going to say something?

Bazaar sighs before pinching the bridge of his nose. He begins to lean against the railing too and watches the sunrise. 

Bazaar: Not much to report upon. 

Isaac: Weren't able to find anything? Not even a small trace?

Bazaar: There’s nothing left. 

Isaac: I know there’s nothing left at Volt’s. I’m saying anything in the-

Bazaar: Isaac. There are no signs of Salem or Onyx’s forces anywhere in the kingdom!

Isaac goes silent for a few moments before looking back at Bazaar. Isaac raises an eyebrow and gives Bazaar a quizzical look. 

Isaac: Nothing?

Bazaar: None. 

Isaac: Not even Grimm?

Bazaar: Just a small amount. But there’re in such remote locals. (Isaac turns and looks out to the sunrise again.) Something’s coming. 

Isaac: I know. I just…don’t know. I mean the temple’s right there!

Bazaar: You said that the last time. 

Isaac: Well, he had a vision of my father. And blah blah blah mystic power. 

The two stay silent as the sun fully rises across the horizon. Isaac rubs and scratches his chin as he begins to think through ideas. 

Bazaar: Elsa and her team should be arriving near the Mistral Temple by tomorrow. Qrow and his team have been in Mistral for around a month. 

Isaac: (Sighs) Well. I guess that’s good for them. It looks like Mistral’s having better luck than we are. 

Bazaar: I wouldn't say that much. 

Isaac: What do you mean?

Bazaar: Qrow found her. Spring. She’s currently with his sister in some bandit tribe. And they can’t assemble a task force without council approval which Lionheart can’t sway somehow. 

Isaac: What about the ones that aren't aligned to a kingdom?

Bazaar: They’re…they’re dead, Isaac. Shiro, Caroline, Flynn, Clayton, Magnolia, Heather. All gone. All dead. Suicide missions. The kingdom is tearing itself apart. If Onyx leads an invasion force anywhere it will be Mistral now. And if Knowledge falls to them-

Isaac: I know. You don’t need to tell me. 

Bazaar: So…what do we do from here? 

Isaac: (Sighs; talks to himself silently) Ok, ok, ok, ok. (Projecting) I need to stay here. Keep the Guardian safe. With Lavenza dead, there could be a possibility of an attack. I need you to return to the Mistral Temple and met with Elsa. Exchange all intel you got from me, Qrow, Lionheart and return with any new intel you got. 

Bazaar: Elsa and I will gather what we can from the temple remains. I’ll keep in contact with Qrow and relay all possible intel. 

Isaac: Good. (Bazaar begins to walk off) Bazaar…stay safe. Ok?

Bazaar: I know. 

Isaac: Bazaar. We’re approaching an end game. And sooner or later, the war will come to us. 

Bazaar: Isaac. If you honestly think I am not aware of the current or future stakes, then you are surely mistaken. Protect the Guardian. I will meet with Qrow and ensure that Spring can be secured and Knowledge guarded above all else. So, you do your job now, Isaac Scorch, and I shall do mine. Do you…understand that? 

Isaac: Best of luck to you then, Eagle Scout. 

Bazaar nods and turns away from Isaac. He activates his semblance and transforms into an eagle form and fly off. Isaac returns his gaze to the sunrise and watches as Bazaar flies off towards Mistral. He sighs to himself as he moves and sits down on the railing, continuing to look at the sun in the morning.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside a room of the Barrow Hotel, Team FLME is seated among the room. Fred is looking out the window towards the mountain like his brother before. Leia is sitting on a bed while May and Ember are sitting on a bench opposing the bed. Ember seems frustrated while May, Leia and Fred hold an indifferent state. 

Ember: I still don’t trust him. 

Leia: That makes two of us. I mean, sure he seems like a nice guy, but I don’t trust him at all. 

May: Guys, he’s my uncle. 

Ember: Whose brother is a psychopathic killing machine. The same machine that beat you as a child, kidnapped you, attacked your town and came for all of us and tried to kill all of us several times might I add. 

May: Not all family members are the same you guys. Look at Leia and her parents. Or you and Fred. 

Ember: (gets up and walks next to Leia) Well, to be fair, Fred and I were raised by a loving family and Leia was raised by her maid and butler. 

May: So? Whenever my uncle Jet stopped by it made me feel…alive, I guess. At least for the few hours I had with him. 

Leia: Regardless of that, he did seem a little hesitant to want to help out. I wonder what he’s hiding. 

Ember: He’s a politician. He’s a slug, a crook, and thief. What doesn't he have to hide? 

Leia: Good will, apparently. This town loves him. (Sighs) I don’t know. This whole place just doesn't feel right. 

May: Well, that’s fine by me. I know my uncle. Besides, like you once said, we shouldn't question the good fortune. Right Fred? Fred?

Fred remains silent, still looking out the window. He glances back once his name is called for the third time. 

Fred: I have to lean towards Leia and Ember on this one. We don’t know his motives. And, he did seem hesitant especially for a man you claimed to have nothing but the best intentions. I’m sorry, May. But in this scenario, logic outweighs emotion. 

May: You guys trusted my parents!

Fred: No. We were skeptical about them. They also proved themselves. So far the only thing Jet has done is given us a place to stay that we could have found on our own. 

Ember: Sorry, May. 

May: I…I can't believe this. (To Ember) Especially you! Can you not find joy at all anymore for us?!

Ember: Oh, I’m sorry. We disagree! It happens! Maybe you’ve noticed we’re in a technical WAR right now! And I’d rather not ally myself with potential allies of our enemies. 

May: You’re dating the “killing machine’s” daughter. 

Ember: That’s different. 

May: How?

Ember: One is by blood. The other was a kidnapped child. You tell me the difference. 

Leia steps between the two and shoves them apart from one another. 

Leia: Ok. Cool it down you two. Fred? Wanna help out here?

Fred walks over and pulls the two Faunus apart. All eyes fall onto Fred. 

Fred: I want to get out of here as soon as possible. The temple is just up that mountain. Once there, we have a safe haven. I’ll be back. 

Leia: And where are you going?

Fred: See if I can’t conjure up my father’s spirit. See what we can do from there. I shouldn't be too long. Or at least I hope. 

Fred walks out of the room in silence.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Fred walks out to a balcony in their hotel room and sits down on the floor. Fred closes his eyes and begins to take in deep breaths and begins a meditation process. He takes several more breaths before finally opening his eyes. Expecting to see the Guardian Plane, Fred gains a shocked surprise upon seeing a black void of nothingness. 

He turns around to see nothing but the abyss all around him. A red glow emerges behind him and Fred turns around and gasps. Behind him is a ginormous being of fire and flame. The figure has an appearance of a large armored man with fire wings on his back and a similar style helmet as Fred’s Guardian armor. 

The figure looks down at Fred. It shifts its hand upward and Fred flies up to met the figure face to face. Fred drops the surprised look and grows a stern one. 

Fred: Primus, I presume. 

Primus: Yes. 

Fred: You’re my ancestor?

Primus: Yes. 

Fred: What do you want? 

Primus: Obliteration. Route out the corruption and evil of this world. Cast it into the pit of stars so that my creators may return to this world. 

Fred: Then we have the same goal. Defeat Salem and Onyx. 

Primus: My spirit now enacts within you, young one. But, we must purge this world of darkness. Darkness in every man, woman and child! Only then can our banner fly and our world saved! 

Fred: We are risking our lives to save millions! I will not let you destroy everything! 

Primus: There is no other choice! Darkness has encompassed all. And the Guardian’s duty is to destroy the darkness. All other Guardians have failed! 

Fred: They’re your descendants! They’ve kept the peace! 

Primus: THEY have DESTROYED the world! Humans! Always warring for the most trivial of things. Yet you have still to muster a single spell in over countless lifetimes. Along with that wizard!

Fred: Ozpin?

Primus: Is that what he calls himself now? 

Fred rolls his eyes but his eyes widen. 

Fred: Where is my father?! Where are the rest of them?!

Primus: They are here. But I have requested your presence. 

Fred: And why is that? 

Primus: You intend to claim victory over the Witch and Gladiator. For fifty-thousand years the Guardians have tried to complete that goal. 

Fred: And?

Primus: You will fail!

Fred: You do NOT know that! You don't know what I am capable of!

Primus: I know all my descendants! Whether you know it or not! Your power has led to arrogance! And failure will be close behind you!

Fred: Arrogance?! ARROGANCE?!! I am trying to save this world! Save my friends! And if I must sacrifice everything then I will! What have you done in that time?! Rote in oblivion?! You want to help? Then give me something that I can use to defeat Onyx! 

Primus: Very well…Darkness will consume you. The shadows of destruction will destroy all you know. Your stance will break, your general will fall, they will run from you. And you…will be left behind, lost in your victory. 

Primus raises a hand up and from his palm, a beam of fire fires towards Fred and hits him. Fred screams in agony as the fire hits him. 

Primus: This! Is a fraction of pain you will feel. The darkness will burn away your spirit! And when you are at the face of death, you will BURN!!!

As Fred is yelling, he looks to his right hand and sees the emblem on Primus’ chest being burned onto his hand. He screams even louder and closes his eyes. Once hie eyes open, Fred is back on the balcony in the same position as before. He looks at his hand and sees the emblem burned onto his hand. He pants at the sight. His attention is turned away once he hears thunder and sees a thunder storm closing in towards the town.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Jet’s office, he is staring out the window and watching the thunder storm closing in towards the town. He sighs to himself before walking back to his desk. He places his hands on the desk and turns through a scrap book and continues to sigh. A ring on his intercom goes off and he presses the button and a holographic “S” emerges. 

Jet: Go ahead. 

Shadow: (Over intercom) You should really keep the communications clean or at least check them regularly. 

Jet: How? 

Shadow: (Over intercom) It was too easy. Now, have you reached a decision?

Jet: You gave me a week!

Shadow: (Over intercom) And it’s been 5 days. So?

Jet: Shadow…I…I cannot. 

Shadow: (Over intercom) Well, you do hold my daughter and her team. 

Jet: Shadow?! They are children! What do you want of them?!

Shadow: (Over intercom) That is my business. Now, onto yours. 

Jet: They…they are good people. People who just want to live freely! 

Shadow: (Over intercom) Fine. Consider this deal then. Give me May and any who chose to associate with her. In exchange, you will have your town spared. 

Jet: Shadow. They. Are. Children! I will not sacrifice that!

Shadow: (Over intercom) Would you really sacrifice the lives of the people you governor for a few children?

Jet: I…

Shadow: (Over intercom) You have 2 more days. I will see you shortly. 

Shadow hangs up and Jet sighs once again. He collapses onto the ground and begins to take deep breaths in and out. 

Inside Shadow’s camp, he closes his scroll and places it back into his coat. He walks through his camp towards a large vault door in a mountain. His soldiers turn the vault open and he walks in. Inside the vault is a Seer Grimm waiting there. Shadow kneels down as Onyx appears inside the Seer. 

Onyx: Any progress, General?

Shadow: Mayor…Ombre has yet to agree to my offer. Although, I believe you should lead the third wave. 

Onyx: And why is that?

Shadow: While I slaughter my daughter. You can kill the Guardian. 

Onyx: He is there?!

Shadow: Yes, My Lord. He is here. 

Onyx rubs his chin in thought. He turns back to face Shadow. 

Onyx: You have done well, General. Finding the Guardian near the day of the Eclipse. I’m sure Luna would be pleased. 

Shadow: Must you always use her as a-

Onyx: Of course, General, of course. Are your troops on the hunt already?

Shadow: The first wave is. They should arrive prior to the Eclipse. 

Onyx: (Nods) Very well. I shall inform her grace of the development. If he agrees to your deal, spare the town. But kill the Guardian. 

Shadow: Yes, my Lord. 

Onyx: (Grins) Best of luck, General. 

Onyx fads away as Shadow stands and walks back outside. He walks to a cliff with the two guards on both sides and sees several tanks, jeeps and infantry troops preparing for war. He walks over to a jeep and gets in the passenger seat while the guards mount the driver’s seat and back seat. 

Shadow: The front. 

The guard nods and drives off. Pan back to see a large force marching towards Canary, using the thunder storm as cover. 

Cut to Black.


	11. Starting Line

After the opening, crumbling and rumbles are heard in a black void. After a crack, a light shines through. Finally, the rock breaks and a hand reaches down and pulls out a rifle. The hand’s owner is revealed to be Solomon Noir as he pulls the gun out of the rumble. He looks around and sees the other members of Team SSMR excavating the fallen walls and the mountain that belonged to the Mistral Guardian Temple. 

Solomon walks over to Elsa Inverno who is holding her scroll with four crates next to her. Elsa looks over to Solomon as he raises the rifle to her which she takes. 

Solomon: Model B-6 rifle. Military grade. Semi-automatic firing with about 30 rounds per minute, 60 rounds per clip. 

Elsa: Mhm. Good find. Box 4. We’re be done here shortly. 

Elsa walks off as Regen Wilhelm walks over to Solomon. 

Regen: Yeah. She said about the last twenty times. 

Solomon: Maybe she just wants to have a thorough investigation?

Regen: Or she’s working us to the bone. 

Ian Stonewall then walks over and grabs the rifle Solomon is holding. 

Stonewall: Enough you two. We have a job to do so let’s do it. 

Regen: Yeah, yeah. (To himself mockingly) “Go to Mistral” they said! “It would be fun to see the North Mountains” they said!!!

Regen trots off scolding and pouting while Solomon rolls his eyes, looking frustrated at the action. Stonewall also seems frustrated at the act as well. 

Solomon: Will he ever stop complaining? Or is he just going to keep pouting like the little girl not getting a cookie. 

Stonewall: Ask him that. I think it could persuade him. 

The two laugh a bit before returning to work, cleaning up the rubble of the fallen temple. Elsa, standing far off from the four teens, glances away from them and keeps looking at the destroyed mountain. As she is standing there, a familiar sound is heard and Bazaar walks up next to her. 

Elsa: Thought I find you here some time. 

Bazaar: Yes, well, nowadays the call for communication rather needy. 

Elsa: So…You mind explaining this? I know you said that the temple was destroyed but this…isn’t what I had in mind. 

Bazaar: He cut us off. That was all. 

Elsa: And destroyed this. 

Bazaar: Evidently. 

Elsa: You guys said they were all in Vacuo. How’s that front being handled? 

Bazaar: So far, alright. The original temple was a bust. The team is moving to what both Isaac and Frederic claim is the “real” temple. Currently, they are in a nearby town. So…hopefully they’re journey is that of a peaceful one. 

Elsa: And after that temple is located?

Bazaar: Unknown. Perhaps a mission to Atlas. Either way, a possible storm is coming. And I’m afraid that-

Magnus: (Offscreen) Ma’am! 

The two huntsmen turn back to see Magnus Crimson holding up large iron blocks and Solomon is holding up one, focusing his aura in his hands. 

Magnus: You might want to have a look at theses!

The two walk over and look down into the pit being held up by the two teens. Inside is a large golden and stone box. Stonewall also walks up to the pit and looks down. He goes into the pit and begins to pull on the box, struggling to get it out. Magnus throws the boulders aside and uses his semblance and pulls out the box. 

Magnus begins to struggle to move the box, shaking and taking deep, repetitive breaths to lift the box. He moves it slightly over a bit and Solomon and Regen run under it. 

Solomon: Drop!

Magnus drops the box and Solomon and Regen struggling to keep it up. Elsa and Bazaar tackle the two and the box drops, forming a small crater underneath it. The four get up and look at the box. Magnus uses his semblance once again and pulls back, opening the box. Bazaar and Elsa walk up to the box and look inside. Inside are several books and papers. Bazaar and Elsa look through some of them as do Stonewall and Solomon. 

Regen: A bunch of books? That’s what we came here for?

Solomon: Some of these names I don’t even recognize. Artemis? Ezekiel Clam. Rockwell Scorch? Maldozea?

Magnus: Wasn't Maldozea that one Faunus warlord from 700 years ago? Said to have wielded the “fire from the gods”?

Solomon: And…Scorch? Like, Freddie Scorch?

Elsa and Bazaar look at one another and nod. Bazaar closes the box and Elsa stands up and and goes to her ear piece. 

Elsa: Snowbird, this is Atlas-1, we’re done here. Requesting pick up with additional support. 

Snowbird: (Over radio) Copy Atlas-1. Moving on the X. ETA 2 minutes. 

Elsa turns back to her team and points to the original four crates. Regen, Magnus, and Stonewall run over and grab the crates. She then turns to Bazaar. 

Elsa: Atlas…now!  
______________________________________________________________________________  
On the coast of Mistral, three large ships are along docks being loaded by both Wolf Tribe members and Blue Jay crew members. Weapons are being loaded onto the ships. Other people are raising sails, loading cannons and getting more supplies onto the ships. Along the coast are Mason, Evie, March, April, Farkas and Lupo. 

March: Come on you dogs! Pick it up the pace!!! You call that work! My dead father works faster than you at dying! 

Farkas leans over to Mason. 

Farkas: (Whisper) What’s his deal?

Mason: I have NO idea. 

April: He gets like this a lot. (To March; she places her hand on his shoulder) March, sweetie. You’re doing it again. 

March: Doing-oh. Yeah. He he, sorry. Just you know, my daughter’s kinda out there. 

Evie: So are our boys, but you don't hear us complaining about it. 

Mason: (Whispering) Deep down she’s screaming. 

Evie: I am NOT!

Mason: I’ve known you for thirty years! I know when you scream internally! (Evie pouts and walks towards the ships) And she’s still amazing. 

March and April also walk out towards the ships. Before Mason does the same, he turns back to Farkas and Lupo. Mason sighs to himself before walking up to the two of them. 

Mason: Are you sure you don’t want to come? We could really use those leadership ideals you’ve got. 

Farkas: Like I said, I’ll hold off those buggers if they come looking for the Wolf Tribe. You? You just make sure my boys don’t die. 

Mason looks to Lupo.

Mason: Lupo?

Lupo: While I am swore to protect the chief by all means, however, I believe the illusion will live if I am here rather than out there. So…I bid thee luck, Chieftain of the Wolf. 

Lupo walks off and Farkas and Mason stand amazed. 

Farkas: I think that’s the most she ever spoke at once?

Mason: Yeah. (They turn to one another) Thank you. For all of this. 

Farkas: Yeah, well, personally speaking I’d rather not. But, rules of the chief out weigh those of a member. 

Mason raises a hand, similar to an arm wrestle pose. Farkas takes it. The two let go and slam the back of their palms together and then fist bump one another before bro hugging. 

Farkas: Still got it. 

Mason: Yeah. Never thought I’d say this but, best of luck, Farkas. 

Mason begins to walk off towards the ships. 

Farkas: To you too, brother. 

Mason gets on the center ship with Evie on his side. Lune is commanding the left while March and April the right. Mason moves his hand to summon the crews to move out. The ships begin to set sail towards the coast of Vacuo.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
In Canary, Jet is within his office, sitting at his desk with his hands covering his face. He leans back in his chain, looking more and more frustrated. The image of a Shadow’s scroll symbol appears on his hologram. 

Shadow: Outside. Now. 

Jet nods and walks out of his office. As he is walking though the town, people smile and wave at him, all seemingly showing respect for the man. Jet casually waves back as he keeps walking. 

May: Uncle!

Jet turns around from the edge of the town and sees May and her team along with Team VILE and Isaac. 

Jet: Uh, May, how-uh, are you?

May: Fine uncle. How are you?

Jet: B-Better. 

Ember: What’s with the stutter? 

Jet: That is none of your-

Shadow: JET!

Everyone turns around and Shadow is standing at the border of the town. Several Ombre soldiers join him and Captain Stier. 

May: (Shocked and scared) Uncle?

Ember: (Enraged) Told you!

Jet: Stay put. All of you!

Ember: And why should I-

Fred gets between Ember and Jet and raises a hand across Ember’s chest. 

Fred: (To Jet) If you have a plan, do it now! Or you and he (gestures to Ember) will be having a nice chat.

Jet nods and begins to walk up to Shadow. Shadow walks up to him and the two meet each other half way and look one another dead in the eye. 

Shadow: Well?

Jet: Shadow…I…cannot. They are children! I will not sacrifice their lives!

Shadow: Even if it meant your entire town?

Jet: I…

Suddenly, the cocking of guns and the swords of clashing swords are heard. Everyone looks into the town and sees several citizens with rifles aimed at Shadow’s troops. A man converts his broadsword into a sniper rifle and takes aim at Shadow’s troops. 

Isaac: And you are?

Canary Huntsman: Just call me Canary’s local huntsman. And these are my merry band of misfits!

Three other huntsmen and huntresses join the leader and aim their guns at to the army. 

Isaac: Welcome to the fight!

Back with Jet and Shadow, both look surprised. Jet looks back to Shadow, the latter standing back up with a straight back. 

Shadow: Have you made a decision?

Jet: I-

Canary Huntsman: Screw off! (Everyone looks to him) I speak for Canary when I say we don't care what you’re here for! You ain’t getting it from us! GET OUT!

The crowd cheers. Shadow and Jet once again lock eyes. 

Shadow: Does he speak for you? Is this your decision?

Jet: …You already know the answer. 

Shadow backs away, shock and sadness all over his face. 

Shadow: (enraged) I-I can’t believe you! I’ve given you options! I have given you a way out! I have changed the deal for you! All I want is THAT BOY AND THIS AREA!!!

Fred begins to walk forward but Isaac stops him. 

Fred: What?

Isaac: (Whispering) Fred. When it comes down to it, this town is worth the sacrifice if it means victory!

Fred: Isaac, I can’t-

Shadow: SO! Is this must what we do?

Jet: No. This is not a needed fight. 

Shadow:…I’m sorry, brother. But Luna…for Luna to live…this place must burn!

Shadow throws a punch and hits Jet across the face. Before Shadow can throw another punch, Jet catches it. 

Shadow: Take the town!!!

Stier and the Ombre soldiers charged forward. FLME, VILE, Isaac and the other towns citizens charge forward and clash with one another. Several citizens are shot and gunned down by Shadow’s forces. Shadow throws three punches in succession at Jet’s face, constantly hitting him in the cheek and chin. 

Shadow grabs under Jet’s arms and does a suplex onto him. Shadow gets up to his feat and kicks Jet in the chin, sending him back a tad. Shadow unsheathes one of his swords to attack Jet.

Shadow: I’d always looked out for you! Protected you from Father! (Slashes and misses) Donated funds for your projects! (Another slash and miss) And THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?!!

Before Shadow can stab Jet’s chest, Wonderland comes between them and stops the sword. Shadow looks over and May is standing, defending Jet. 

Shadow: You!

Shadow removes his sword and draws the other and begins to attack May. He swings his swords repeatedly, cutting the ground whenever his blades reach low to the ground. As Shadow attacks, May is constantly being backed up by the General. 

Shadow: You! Have! Been! Nothing! But! A! Pain!!!

May lands on her back as Shadow pins her down to the ground with his blades. The two stay in the pin for a few seconds until Jet pulls Shadow’s arm back and punches Shadow in the face, forcing him off May. Shadow stands up and May and Jet enter a battle stance. The three run towards one another and enter a fight. 

Captain Stier is seen firing off his cannon, blasting away at several town’s folk. He back steps from one townsfolk and knocks them to the ground with the back of his cannon. Stier places his boot on the neck of the citizen and breaks their neck. He glances up and sees Leia standing there. She raises her rifles to fight him. 

Stier: I’m going to teach you the meaning of pain!

Leia: Oh, please. I already know it. 

Stier and Leia run at one another. Stier brings his chainsaw bayonet down onto Leia’s clubs. Stier swings low but Leia blocks both strikes. The two spin around and block each other’s strikes once again. Leia side kicks Stier’s chest, making him stumble back a bit. Leia whacks Stier’s face making him stumble backwards a bit. With the kick, Stier turns around only to be met with Eadwulf’s fist to his face. 

Leia then hits Stier’s face with her clubs again and forces Stier to spin back around. Eadwulf is about to punch him again but Stier grabs his wrist and throws him into Leia. The two stumble along the ground until Leia rolls forward to attack Stier again. As she swings down, Stier stops her and punches her face. He then begins to punch her across the face five more times until he punches her one last time, sending her into a wall. 

Stier: No more combos from you. 

Leia: (Groans) Yeah. Got it. 

Back with Jet, May and Shadow. Shadow slams his blade down onto May’s, the two struggling to attack the other one. May back steps and Shadow stumbles forward. May brings her knee up to him but Shadow blocks it and elbows her chin. He swings both his swords but May blocks them and fires a round and spins. She stops spinning and meets Shadow’s blade once again. 

Jet runs up to Shadow and tackles him, pulling him off May. The two enter a mercy off until May runs up and attacks. However, Shadow side kicks May and breaks the mercy. Shadow grabs May and punches her away. Jet attempts to grab Shadow but is thrown into the ground, sliding along the dirt. 

Shadow looks at his blade and then to May. He glares back at his brother and runs forward. As Jet gets up, he looks out and Shadow throws a punch at him. Jet takes the punch to his face and stumbles backwards. As Shadow goes to punch him again, Jet blocks him and the two enter a mercy off. 

Shadow: Why?! Why throw it all away for this?! For that boy and girl?!

Jet: What makes you any different?! You did the same to us in Mistral! When Luna fell!

Shadow screams and breaks from the mercy hold. He begins to repentantly punch Jet across the face, constantly forcing his brother back. As Shadow is about to knock out Jet, a hand stops him. A semblance activated Ember Ignis moves his hand and uppercuts Shadow, making the general drop blood from his nose. Shadow is launched out of the town and back to his side of the battle. 

Jet: Thank you. For every-

Ember: The only reason you’re alive right now is because we need people to fight off Shadow. Once that’s done, you better hope you have some bargaining chip with me. 

Ember growls and takes off back to the fight. 

Shadow lands on the battlefield. He gets up and dusts himself off. People on buildings take aim at Shadow and open fire. Shadow evades and two jeeps drive up and give Shadow cover. Shadow kneels down as his forces are being pinned by outside defenses. 

Shadow: Wave 2! Activate forward charge!

Ombre Soldier 3: Yes, sir!

From a hill, several tanks emerge and open fire at the citizens on the roof tops. Shadow stands as his troops begin to push forward. He draws his blade and points to Canary. 

Shadow: Forward!

Cut to Black


	12. Raging Fires

After the opening, Leia keeps firing her rifles and backing up from Captain Stier, who keeps rolling and evading shots while closing in to Leia. As Leia’s back hits a wall, Stier throws a punch at Leia. She rolls out of the way and swing kicks his ankle. Stier grabs Leia’s throat and slams her into a wall. 

Stier: I’m going to enjoy ripping that arm off…bit by bit. 

Suddenly, Fred appears and kicks Stier off of Leia. 

Leia: Thanks for the save. 

Fred: The outside permitter is down. Think you and VILE can handle that?

Leia: Just make sure you save some of him for me.

Fred: On it. Go!

Leia takes off for the outside of the town. Stier gets up and gets his cannon of his back and aims it at Fred. Suddenly, Lamb to the Slaughter lands behind Stier and explodes the ground. Stier is launched forward towards Fred. Fred roundhouse kicks Stier in the back and forces him into a barrel. Isaac lands on the hilt of his sword and walks next to Fred. Other towns folk move around Fred and Isaac and aim towards Stier. 

Isaac: Figured I could lend a hand. 

Fred: Leia and VILE are heading up the front. 

Isaac: Those other huntsmen are doing the same. Those tanks are going to be an issue. 

Townsfolk 1: We can handle this guy! You two go on out and support our-

A scream is heard and a crack as well. Everyone looks over to see Stier, breaking someone’s neck with one arm and have cut off another towns member’s arm. Isaac and Fred look at one another and then raise their weapons against Stier. 

Isaac: Go. We’re handle him. 

Townsfolk 1: Yeah. Got it. 

The townsfolk run off and Isaac and Stier charge towards one another. Stier and Isaac slam their blades down against one another. As they do clash, Fred runs up along the side and does a two footed kick towards Stier. The two break apart and Fred lands on his hands in a handstand. 

Fred spins around in a break dance maneuver to kick Stier’s face. Stier backs away and side kicks Fred’s back. He places his cannon on his back and blocks Isaac’s slash. However, Isaac quickly spins around and does a cartwheel kick to Stier’s face. Isaac uses his semblance and places lava on the ground in front of Stier. Stier gasps and backs up, Isaac takes back the lava and roundhouse kicks Stier back. 

As the last of the lava is being absorbed, Fred runs past and takes some of the lava and uses his semblance and throws it at Stier’s human hand. Stier screams as the burns kick in. Fred does a mid-air somersault and kicks’s Stier’s head. Fred punches Stier’s arms and then his shoulders. Fred knees Stier’s head and roundhouse kicks him again. Fred grabs Stier’s ankle and pulls the captain back before punching him in the face. Before Stier can bounce away, he grabs Fred’s leg and pulls him with him. The two bounce along the ground and collide into walls. 

As Stier stands back up, Isaac fires four rounds at him and forces Stier through the building. Isaac hops over the building and lands on Stier’s chest. Before Isaac can keep attacking, guns are heard. Isaac looks up and sees a squad of Ombre soldiers aimed at Isaac. 

Stier: Well…it is nice to always have a BACKUP (he head butts Isaac) plan!

Stier hand springs up and kicks Isaac’s stomach. Stier lunges back and waves him cybernetic hand down. 

Stier: FIRE!

The troops open fire towards Isaac’s directions. Suddenly, Fred leaps over the building and lands on one of the troops. He springs off them and kicks another in the face. He springs off that one and rolls along the ground and knees one in the face. He turns and faces Stier and ignites fire around him, burning the last two troops in the process. 

Fred: Yeah. It sure is.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Leia runs up to a building and leaps from a barrel to the top of the building. She looks out to the town’s border and sees tanks pelting at some of the town’s buildings. A purple flash leaps into the air and lands beside her, it’s Violet. 

Violet: We’re being pelted down there. 

Leia: Clearly! Can your lighting do much against the tanks?

Violet: Not much, but if you can get my team into cover, then maybe we could get in there and take them out. 

Leia: Sounds like a plan. Get moving!

Violet leaps off the building and runs back into the fire. Leia draws her weapons out and aims them to the town’s border. She fires a few rounds and takes out the troops surrounding VILE. She reloads her guns and fires again to keep up the pressure. However, before she fires, she looks over and sees a power cell and some metal. She grins and walks over and grabs the cell. She opens her rifle and takes out a dust infused bullet. 

Leia: Well, let’s see what we can do here. 

Violet runs through the town, whacking away at three Ombre soldiers as they run up to meet her. After slamming down onto the ground causing a shockwave and knocking away more troops, Violet raises her staff and Eadwulf grabs it. Violet spins around and Eadwulf two foot kicks a heavily armored soldier. Llew and Ing teleport above them and Ing lunges forward and freezes more troops before transforming his baton to an assault rifle and firing at a few melee troops. 

Llew teleports behind a few long ranged soldier and slashes them, knocking them out. Team VILE forms up around Violet. 

Eadwulf: You guys alright?

Ing: Fine. Vi, what’s the plan here?

Violet: Tanks are our priority here. Eadwulf?

Eadwulf: We’re going to need to cut through a lot of guns. 

Violet: Can you do it?

Eadwulf: Maybe?

Violet: I don’t want a maybe! I want a yes or no!

Eadwulf: Yes! If I have cover!

Violet: Then move it, VILE! We’ve got a job to do!

The four team members take off towards the border. Llew stabs the ground with gravity dust equipped and levitates some rock. She slashes forward and launches the rocks, crushing a jeep. Violet, Llew and Eadwulf take cover behind the jeep. Ing leaps over the jeep and begins to open fire. Eadwulf leaps over the jeep as well and throws some knives at troops before growing in size. 

Eadwulf back hands several troops before a few with grappling hooks are launched at him and get him tied up. Eadwulf begins to struggle a bit trying to get freed. Violet leaps up to his shoulder and sits down on it before patting his shoulder. 

Violet: You’re doing great pal. Just keep at it. 

Eadwulf: Easy for you to say! I don't see any rope around you!

Llew teleports next to the cable troops and cuts them all down. Eadwulf breaks free but takes a tank round to the face and falls to the ground, destroying several buildings. Violet leaps off of him and rolls along the ground as Eadwulf crashes to the ground and shrinks back down. A tank rolls up to Violet and aims it towards her. Violet activates her semblance and electorates the tank and fires a few rounds from her staff at the treads and breaks them. 

Llew and Ing jump onto the tank and open the top hatch and pull out the two soldiers and punch them. Ing uses his semblance and creates an ice pathway, moving through the battlefield. Ing stops his streak and freezes two soldiers and rolls along the ground and takes over behind a destroyed jeep. 

The rest of his team runs up and joins him. 

Ing: How many left we got?

Llew: Six more! (Another tank round goes off) Eadwulf and I can eliminate the far left three!

Violet: Gotcha! We’ll handle the last three! 

Llew: Good luck!

Violet: Same to you, Lionheart!

The four break apart and move to their designated area. Eadwulf runs up to one troop and uppercuts them while Llew teleports and slashes threw a few more troops. However, as the two reach the tanks, they change fire and aim them towards the two teens. They fire as do the teens. Eadwulf throws a few knives at the lose infantry while Llew teleports and cut the barrel off a tank. 

A troop with two blades ran up and began to slash towards Llew. Llew blocked the strikes each time and repelled one, getting the trooper to bounce back. Llew kicked the soldier in the chin and knocked them away. Once that happened, a blast from another tank hit near Llew and blasted her away. Llew backflips onto the ground and uses wind dust to blow sand towards the last two tanks. 

Eadwulf and Llew run up to the tank to attack it. Eadwulf jumps onto the tank and slams his fist down onto it. He runs over to the barrel and begins to slowly pull it back. Llew ran up and back flipped kick the barrel and bent it backwards, making the tank useless. The two run off the tank and towards the final one until an Ombre soldier with two shields slammed into them. Eadwulf looks up and and sees the shield soldier about to slam his fist down onto him. 

Llew suddenly appears behind the shielded soldier and slashes at their legs and grabs their head. Eadwulf gets up and punches the soldier into the ground, knocking him out. 

Llew: I thought you were a good melee fighter?

Eadwulf: I am! That was a bad example. 

Llew: Yes. Just like your anger at Beacon set a bad example for our team. 

Llew runs off.

Eadwulf: (Yells to her) I sorry I was a jerk! (To himself) Apologize for the same thing over and over again to the point where I just want to die because of it. Oh, sure, be nice, get us more friends. Blah, blah, blah.

Violet dodges a strike from another soldier and uses her semblance on him. She hears a cannon shot go off and sees a body land next to her. She runs over and sees its the unknown huntsman from before. His face is bloody and blood runs from his neck. She looks on in horror at the sight. Suddenly, another cannon shot is heard. Before Violet can fully turn around, Ing tackles her out of the way of the tank shot and freezes a wall between the tanks and them. 

Ing: Violet?! You ok?!

Violet shakes her head, returning to the fight. She cheeks her scroll and sees her aura reads: YELLOW. 

Violet: I’m in the yellow? You?

Ing: Just above. 

A random townsfolk runs up next to them and fires a few rounds from their rifle until they too are shot and killed. 

Ing: Violet, these people won’t last much longer! They’re fighting military trained soldiers! 

Violet looks away from Ing and to the town. 

Violet: Come on Leia. Where are you?

Back on the roof with Leia, she is placing a few pieces of metal in place. She grabs the power core and loads the cannon and takes aim near a tank close to Violet and Ing. 

Leia: Ok. So is will either take out the tank. Or it’s going to blow up in my face and kill me. Either way, one side is going to be happy. 

Leia takes a deep breath and pulls the trigger. A loud boom is heard and a explosion hits the tank. Violet and Ing look at the tank and then up to Leia’s direction. Leia pumps her fist in amazement and continues to hit the tanks. Once the three tanks are destroyed, she shifts her focus over to Eadwulf and Llew’s side. Leia pulls the trigger and it hits the tank, destroying it in a single hit. 

Eadwulf and Llew turn back to see Leia on the building. Leia gives a two finger salute as does Eadwulf who goes onto his scroll and calls Leia. 

Eadwulf: Nice going there, Sunflower. 

Leia: Stay off the cute nicknames. You haven't even bought me dinner yet. 

Eadwulf: And you made it weird. 

Leia: Says the guy who called me “Sunflower”. 

Eadwulf: Touché. 

Leia: Keep moving around. The five of us are gonna have to clear the outside. 

Llew: (Over scroll) What about your team?

Leia: Handling the big guns right now. 

Shadow slides along the dry desert ground after receiving a punch from a semblance charged Ember. Ember runs forward and does a series of kicks directed towards Shadow’s chest, but are blocked by Shadow’s forearms. Shadow and Ember reel back punches against one another and slam their fists against one another, causing a large shockwave. Ember swings with his left to strike against Shadow, who catches it and stops it. 

The two enter a stand off until May runs up and attacks Shadow. Shadow shoves Ember back and draws his blades and strike at Shadow’s swords. May punches Shadow’s chest but retracts her fist, shaking off the pain. Shadow then punches May and sends her onto the ground. Ember then kicks Shadow’s head, sending him flying backwards. After Ember lands, his semblance shuts down. 

Ember: No, no, no! Now is NOT the time. 

May: INCOMING!

May and Ember fire at an incoming Shadow, who blocks the strikes with his swords before lunging forward. Both May and Ember block the attack together with their blades. May looks over to Ember and nod to him. He nods back and the two uppercut Shadow and roundhouse kick him away. Before Shadow can charge again, he looks up and sees Jet approaching with a sword on his back. Ember and May also look at the mayor. 

May: Uncle?

Jet: You did not believe that I would let you fight him alone, did you?

He draws his massive blade and enters a battle stance. May and Ember join him and get ready to attack Shadow. 

Shadow: So be it…brother. 

The brothers stare down at one another, blades drawn and getting ready to fight one another. 

Cut to Black.


	13. Day of the Full Moon

After the opening, Leia leaps down from the top of a building and takes cover behind another large wall. She looks from behind her cover and sees a group of Ombre soldiers walking towards her. She returns to her cover and takes in a breath as she readies her weapons. Gunshots are then heard and punching as well as a scream. Leia turns back to face the solders only to see Team VILE have taken them all out. Leia sighs and the two walk up to one another. 

Violet: How are things inside?

Leia: Pretty fine. Other than the small group entering here and there, most of the fighting is outside the town. I was able to get a good view up top. North side is the next target. 

Violet: Got it. Llew, Eadwulf, with me. Ing, Leia, back up top to that cannon. 

Leia: It’s almost dry but I think we can manage it. 

Llew: Do what you must. 

Leia: Same to you. 

The five depart for their goals. As Violet, Llew and Eadwulf are running towards the north side, a squad of Ombre soldiers appears, lead by a giant of a man. 

Giant Soldier: Kill them!

The soldiers open fire and the three go into cover. As they are in cover, three loud bangs are heard. Suddenly, Llew is sent fling through the air and hits a wall, her aura dropping to almost nothing. 

Violet and Eadwulf: LLEW!!!

Eadwulf growls and rolls out from cover and charges directly towards the soldiers. 

Violet: Eadwulf! (Understands) Sick ’em!

As Eadwulf runs towards the soldiers, the troops keep firing with Eadwulf getting hit a few times. He activates his semblance and begins to grow in size. 

Giant Soldier: Come on, little man! Let me see…what…you can-do?

Eadwulf is now about 20 feet tall and he kicks the giant soldier and punches the other five into walls. A loud bang is also heard as Captain Stier is shot through the air. As he encloses onto Eadwulf, the captain turns around and punches Eadwulf’s head and sends him to the ground, destroying a bit of a building in the process. Stier lands and faces Violet cradling Llew’s unconscious body in her arms. The captain walks towards them, but Isaac appears from the side and kicks him into a wall. Isaac looks over and sees the two and runs to them. Fred appears where Isaac once was and does the same for Eadwulf. 

Isaac: You guys ok?

Violet: Better than most. A lot better than the townsfolk. 

The two look over and see Fred helping Eadwulf walk through the streets to his team. Eadwulf collapses onto the ground, but Fred catches him. 

Fred: Stay with me, man. 

Eadwulf: (Shakes head) I’m here. I’m here. (Goes to his scroll) Leia! North side! North side!

On the rooftop, Leia moves the cannon and aims it towards the north side of the town. She takes aim and leans forward a bit. Ing forms an ice shield around the cannon round and places it inside the machine. Leia bites her lower lip and fires the cannon towards the town’s border. As the bullet is about to hit, Ing uses the ice from his semblance on the bullet and shoots it upward. In addition to the explosion, a large ice sheet covers the soldiers and destroyed jeep. 

Leia: (To Scroll) Don’t worry about it Fenrir, we gotcha covered. 

Leia fires again and the five on the ground see the bullet and ice hit more troops. Leia begins to fire rounds to form an ice wall around the north side of Canary. As the five look at the north side being secured, Stier stands back up and cracks his neck and knuckles and walks towards the five. 

Fred: Isaac. Get them out of here. 

Isaac: Excuse me? Since when do you give me-

Fred: Do it! 

Isaac complained and assisted Eadwulf up and began to carry him out of the battlefield with Violet carrying Llew. As Stier runs up, Fred uses his Guardian abilities and launches a beam of fire towards Stier. Stier is blown back a bit but uses his cybernetic arm to move forward. Stier activates a large shield function on his arm and keeps moving forwards. 

Fred stops and summons the armor along his forearms and runs forward and meets Stier in a fist fight. Fred throws three punches in succession and melts some of Stier’s arm. Stier reels back his cybernetic arm and punches Fred’s head, sending him to the ground. Before Stier can attack again, Fred uses his abilities once again and unleashes a massive beam of fire up at Stier. The captain stumbles back and Fred gets up and does a two footed kick to Stier’s chest and sends him into another wall. Before Stier can charge down Fred again, a bullet is heard and a blast hits Stier and freezes him. 

Fred looks up and sees Leia and Ing giving him a thumbs up. Fred does a two fingers salute and runs off before going to his scroll. 

Fred: Thanks for the save, Leia. Think you can do that to the main attack?

Leia: I would but she’s out of it. Besides, I don’t want unnecessary risks to any allies on the field. Ing and I are coming down to join you. 

Fred: Copy. Moving to the main gate. Best of luck!

Back with Stier, the captain’s eyes open wide and begin to move. The ice begins to slowly shake as he begins to free himself.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
On the battlefield, Shadow is being backed up by Jet, May and Ember. Shadow stumbles back and Ember brings his blades to the ground and pin his sword. Jet charged towards Shadow and brought his sword down to attack him only to have Shadow raise his other blade and defend himself with it. Shadow is pulled back suddenly by something. May emerges from invisibility and kicks Shadow’s head. 

Shadow rolls along the ground and slowly raises to his feet. Ember lunges towards him but is blocked by Shadow’s blade. The two begin to slash and strike at one another in succession. Finally, the two break their pin against one another and begin to run through the battlefield with Jet and May following behind. 

The four eventually arrive at a nearby cliff and both Shadow and Ember stop and continue to strike at one another. Shadow uses his semblance and strengthens his density as Ember punches him. Ember screams in pain. 

Shadow: Not as strong as you once thought, are you?

Ember growls and punches again, but Shadow evades and catches his wrist. Shadow squeezes it and Ember yells in pain.

Shadow: I believed that once! That I could save them all! (Reels fist and punches Ember’s stomach repentantly) I! COULD! SAVE! THEM! ALL!!! 

Shadow throws him onto the ground. Shadow slams his boot onto Ember’s stomach. Ember activates his semblance one last time and pushes back on Shadow. Shadow increases his density and keeps forcing Ember into the ground. 

Shadow: You should know…if you didn't do any of this, you would’ve lived. 

Shadow slams his blade towards Ember but is blocked by Jet’s sword. 

Jet: Funny. I used those same words once!

Jet throws his sword back and pushes Shadow away from Ember. Shadow cuts Jet’s blade out of his hand and punches Jet’s face. May then fires a few rounds towards Shadow’s back. 

May: Hands off! 

Shadow lunges towards May and the two strike and block one another for several strikes. Finally, the two enter a standoff, their blades grinding against one another. 

May: What do you really get from this?! Your soldiers are dying! You didn't think you had enough power?!

Shadow reels his swords back and slams them onto May’s sword. May is thrown onto the ground and begins to back away from Shadow who keeps slashing towards her. 

Shadow: Do you really believe I am that stereotypical? I could care less about the power he has! He has given me a chance to have what you and that fox have once again! He has promised me another thing, more valuable. Protection for my home! The Fall of Beacon was a grave offense to me, but he has promised me that the Kingdom of Vale will stand above all. And to ensure that, I will CRUSH ANYONE WHO STANDS IN MY WAY!!!

Shadow begins to wail down onto May until Ember joins in attacking Shadow and slash at his knees with his knives. Shadow grabs Ember and throws him onto May. Before the general can strike them down, Jet tackles Shadow away from the teens. The brothers exchange fists and punches until Jet and Shadow draw their blades and crash against one another. 

Jet: I don’t want this, Shadow!

Shadow: I know. Nor I. But Luna will live again!

Jet: It’s been twenty years! She’s-

Shadow: She will live again!!!

The two keep their slashing up against one another. 

Back inside the town, Ing is freezing a massive wall around the main gate of Canary. Leia is on a barrel and looking over the wall, firing off her rifles towards the Ombre soldiers. Other townsfolk are also firing rifles and turrets from posts around the gate. Ing stops once he hears a beeping sound. He goes to his scroll and reads the message projected: “AURA IN RED ZONE”. Ing stops and begins panting as his energy is now all but gone. 

Leia takes notice and gets off of her post and walks over to Ing and helps him back up. The two walk over to a nearby wall and Leia lowers Ing slowly down onto the wall. 

Leia: You alright?

Ing: Yeah. I’m fine. Just gotta…rest up. 

Leia: You do that. I think we can manage. (To townsfolk) HEY! How we looking?

Townsfolk 3: I think we got this! Their numbers are dropping! 

Leia: Well, that’s welcoming. 

Isaac: (Offscreen) Coming through here!

Ing and Leia look over and see Isaac carrying Eadwulf on his back and Violet is almost dragging Llew behind her. Fred lands on a rooftop and hops down next to his brother and helps Eadwulf over to a med table. 

Ing: Are you guys alright?

Violet: Fine. Just…drained. Llew? You up, girl?

Llew’s eyes flutter open. She places her hand on her head and slowly moves it. 

Llew: I’m alright. Just need to charge up the aura. 

Eadwulf: Yeah. That’s all of us. 

Fred: Alright. You four rest up. 

Violet: You sure, Hotshot. I can still fight!

Fred: (Places a hand on her shoulder) You're going to have to. Which is why I want you guys to get as much aura back as possible.   
Violet gives Fred a thumbs up. Fred walks over to Leia and the two begin to walk over to the ice wall. 

Leia: Game plan, Boss?

Fred: I really don’t know what more we can do. How many more we got outside?

Leia: Don’t know. Townsfolk say not much more. Wouldn't be surprised if Shadow’s still a player in this fight. And we still don’t know where May or Ember are. 

Fred: (sighs) I just hope they’re ok. Other than that, what else we got?

Leia: Not much. We want to go after them?

Fred: Yeah. Crimson Dynamo should be back at the hotel. 

The two begin to run off until Fred glances up and sees a figure flying towards them. Suddenly, Stier lands in front of the teens and runs up and punches Fred into a wall. Leia draws her clubs and attacks Stier. Stier blocks the attack with his chainsaw bayonet and completes the stand off. 

Leia: How are you still alive?!

Stier: You can’t break a bull! 

Stier kicks Leia’s stomach and sends her back. Stier turns around and fires his cannon to a nest, killing the townsfolk inside. He begins to fire off several rounds towards the town and Team VILE. As a stone is about to crush Ing, Isaac slashes it with his sword. Isaac runs around and slams his blade against Stier’s bayonet. Stier attempts to kick Isaac, but Scorch blocks it and does his own side kick to Stier. The hold breaks and Isaac roundhouse kicks Stier into the air. 

While in the air, Stier fires a round to the ice wall and falls through it. After landing, Stier glances up and Fred kicks down towards the captain. Stier blocks the kick and Fred then swing kicks at Stier’s ankles, which he also blocks. Fred supports himself on one hand and launches himself forward kicking Stier in the face before a wave of fire crashes into his stomach. 

Stier then glances up and sees Fred, Leia and Isaac all in a battle stance. Stier rolls his arm to get it locked into place. The four charge towards one another. After the charge, pan up to the sun and moon about to align for the Eclipse.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Jet and Shadow continue to fight one another, slashing their blades at one another. As Jet raises his sword, Shadow raises his own blades and blocks the attack. After the strike, Jet tackles Shadow and the two are pushed by one another a bit closer to the cliff. Jet moves and knocks his head against Shadow’s chin. Shadow stumbles back and Jet punches Shadow’s jaw until Shadow grabs his brother’s arm and flips Jet onto the ground. Shadow and Jet enter a brawl and several different holds. 

Jet and Shadow break out of the hold with Jet quickly getting to his feet. Jet punches Shadow once again and after two punches, Shadow stops him with his semblance. However, once he does, Shadow’s aura is depleted. Jet then punches Shadow again. Shadow counters the next punch and throws Jet over his shoulder. As Jet turns back around, Shadow punches him, then knees him in the stomach and face. 

Shadow axe kicks Jet and then kicks his younger brother in the chest. Shadow finally punches Jet across the face again. Jet tumbles along the ground and off the cliff. Jet grabs the ledge of the cliff and looks down to see the massive drop to the ground. Shadow wipes some blood from his face and looks over to see his sword. 

Ember rolls off of May and coughs a bit, trying to regain his bearings. May slowly sits up and crawls a bit over to Ember and hugs him from behind. 

May: You ok?

Ember: Yeah. Don’t worry about me. 

May: I always worry about you. 

Ember: Yeah. I know. 

Ember turns around and pecks May’s forehead. Suddenly, she gasps at seeing Shadow walk towards her adoptive uncle. 

Ember: Go!

May: But-

Ember: Go! Give him what he deserves, Kitten. 

Ember hands May Wonderland. She takes it and gives it a firm grip before nodding at Ember. 

Shadow slowly walks up to Jet. The younger brother looks back up to his older brother with fear plastered all over his face. Shadow raises his blade and gets ready to strike down Jet. 

Shadow: Goodbye…Jet.

May: SHADOW!!!

Shadow turns around and gasps. He can hear almost nothing as he looks down at himself. May has stabbed Wonderland right through Shadow’s chest. 

May: You robbed me of my life! You will never rob anyone of anything, ever again!

Everyone across the battlefield looks on in shock. Stier, Fred, Leia and Isaac stop fight as does everyone around them to watch. 

Shadow grunts as he raises his sword but drops it, having the blade fall off the cliff. Shadow falls to his knees, barely being able to breath. Jet looks up at his brother in shock at the sight. Shadow places his hands on May’s blade and slowly reaches out towards May. 

Shadow: Luna…forgive me.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Land of Darkness, Luna’s pod is shown. A single tear rolls down her cheek as her fist clench up.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Shadow’s body slowly begins to slide backwards from the blade. Shadow continues to struggle to breath. Finally, he slips off the blade, his blood covering Wonderland and falls backwards off the cliff to his death. Jet looks away from his falling brother and up to the cliff where May is kneeling down to him. 

Jet takes her hand and the two reach the top of the cliff. An Ombre solder drops his rifle and raises his hands to the air. A few more do the same until they all do, including Stier. 

Jet: Victory is ours! 

Cheers are heard throughout the area. Leia and Fred run past Stier and to the rest of their team. Leia runs up and hugs May, the two spinning. 

Leia: You did it!

The two girls cheer as Fred and Ember walk up to join them. 

Ember: Well, you had to showoff didn't you?

May rolls her eyes and walks up to Ember and kisses his lips. The two kiss for a few seconds before breaking away and embracing one another. 

Ember: Nice work. 

May: You too. 

Fred: (Places hand on Ember’s shoulder) So, still think we can’t beat the bad guys?

Ember: (Locks eyes with May) I may…stick around. 

Fred: Nice to have you back. Now, about that “moral high ground” stuff?

Ember: Oh, I am NOT taking that back. 

Fred: Oh, come on!

From the distance, five large objects begin to close in on Canary. 

Leia: And we got Atleisan carriers inbound! BIC and SDC design thank you ever much. 

Ember and May break from their embrace and look over to the objects. Looks of fear grow on their faces. 

May: That’s not Atlas. 

Fred: How can you tell?

Ember: (Moves Fred’s head and points) The Nevermores!

The three massive carriers are painted with Ombre’s emblem as two Nevermores are seen flying by the ships. Sirens go off at Canary. 

PA: ALERT: GRIMM THREAT LEVEL ZERO!

The townsfolk begin to go into panic. From one of the carriers, Roz opens the port door and pints to the town. 

Roz: Focus fire on the outline defenses! 

The carriers open fire and a few citizens are blown into the air. As the main carrier passes over Canary, additional Ombre soldiers land in or near the town. Roz and Damson also land. 

Damson: Hey kids. (Snickers)

Several more soldiers land as Grimm begin to circle the city. A bullhead lands in front of Team FLME and outsteps Onyx himself. Beside Onyx is Stier who quickly picked up his cannon and stands next to the lord. Across the town, a look of horror and fear is seen upon seeing Onyx. Team FLME, VILE and Isaac enter a battle stances and Fred and Onyx look eyes with one another. Onyx slowly walks up to Fred and stops several feet away.   
Onyx: This was meant to be a simple day. But you have seen to quite the opposite. This town will burn for its sins. Blood will fill the streets and screams of terror will ring into the stars and across all of Remnant. And your blood will personally be spilled from here all the way to the slums of Mistral. Know this, Frederic, that everything that happens now is on your hands. Let’s go.

Scene cuts to black.


	14. Lost in Victory

After the opening, the three ships contain Mason, Evie, March, April and Lune arrive at a coast line. The three weigh anchor and smaller ships and other crewmen begin to enter the land along with the Wolf Tribe members. Mason walks up to the railing of his ship and looks out across the coast. He is joined by his fellow leaders.

Mason: Western Sanus. Vacuo.

April: What makes you think they are here?

Mason: Nothing. 

March: Then we sailed for almost an entire week for nothing?!

Mason: Not nothing. This is a good place to search. And Evie and I have a good relationship with the headmaster here. If anyone can find them, it’s Shade. Let’s get moving. We don't know what’s happening there.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Back in Canary, Fred flies throughout the town and slams into several different buildings and walls. Fred stands up and wipes away some blood from his face and looks up and sees Onyx walking towards him. Onyx moves with great speed and punches Fred’s stomach. Onyx grabs Fred’s head and throws him into even more stone buildings. Before Onyx can move to attack Fred again, he grunts and stumbles forward. Behind him is Isaac’s sword, stabbed within his back. 

Onyx glances back and sees Isaac leap onto his back and use his semblance on Onyx’s scared side of his face. Isaac removes his sword and attempts to stab Onyx’s face, but Onyx grabs the blade and throws both it and Isaac off of himself. Onyx glances between Isaac and Fred and begins to walk towards the younger brother. 

Onyx: I have admittedly grown weary of these encounters of ours. 

Fred: Then don’t have them.

Onyx: That is a thought, yes. 

Onyx lunges forward towards Fred and reels back for a punch. Fred activates his Guardian armor, grabs Onyx’s fist and unleashes a wave of fire towards the lord. Onyx is pushed a bit back until Fred flies towards him and unleashes two punches to his face. Fred moves his feet up and ignites fire below him and propels himself up while fire engulfs Onyx. Onyx leaps from the fire and punches Fred in the face and sends the boy flying outside the town and back onto the battlefield. 

Fred glances up and sees Onyx coming in for a strike. Fred raises his feet and Onyx lands on Fred’s soles. The two lock eyes for a brief second until Fred kicks Onyx up into the air with a column of fire from his feet. Fred flies up to continue his attack on Onyx only to have the lord knock away Fred’s arms and guide them both back to the ground. Onyx throws Fred onto the ground and forms a massive crate, knocking away numerous soldiers and townsfolk. 

Fred’s Guardian armor disintegrates around him as he struggles to breath a bit. Onyx arises from the rubble next to the crater and slowly walks towards Fred. Onyx wipes a bit of black ooze from his face and looks over to Fred. 

Onyx: Congratulations. You got some blood from me. 

Before Onyx can punch Fred again, bullets hit Onyx’s back. He turns around and sees Ing running in a circle around the crater, firing at the lord. 

Fred: Ing?  
Ing: GO! RUN!

Onyx just ignores Ing and grabs Fred and began to squeeze his head. As Fred yells in pain, ice begins to grow over Onyx and he drops Fred. Fred looks over and sees Ing has frozen Onyx in his place. Before Fred can stand back up, Damson’s tail wraps around his waist and pulls him out of the crater and slams him onto the ground. Damson throws himself onto Fred and pins him down. 

Damson: (Snickers) Hello, child. Ready to die?

Damson laughs hysterically and moves his tail down to stab Fred’s head. However, before it hits, something makes Damson stop. Both Fred and Damson turns and sees Eadwulf stopping the tail. Eadwulf then charges toward and gets Damson off of Fred and throws him into the frozen Onyx. Eadwulf walks over to Fred and pulls him to his feet. 

Eadwulf: Go!

Fred: But-

Eadwulf: You’re big on playing hero. Be the hero and get that guy away from here! We’re hold off the rest. 

Fred: But-

Isaac: Fred! Remember what I said! It’s worth the sacrifice! 

Fred looks around and sees the increase in devastation around him. Fred energizes his Guardian Armor and files forward towards Onyx. Onyx stands up but is tackled by Fred, flying the two of them up into the air, igniting some fire and blasting Onyx higher into the air. As Onyx falls a bit to the ground, Fred flies up about to attack him further. However, Onyx evades Fred and throws them both to the ground, with Fred landing a bit further away from Onyx. 

Fred begins to limp away as Onyx slowly stands back up. Before Onyx can follow Fred, Ing leaps over him and kicks his face and then whacks Onyx twice with his baton. Ing then kicks Onyx’s face again and makes the giant kneel down. Once Onyx is on his knee, Ing freezes some of his back and elbows his face before shooting it with several rounds from his assault rifle. Onyx breaks free and stands before Ing. 

Ing hits Onyx again with his baton, then again twice in succession. Onyx grabs Ing’s shoulders, but the teen does a two footed kick to Onyx’s chest and freezes some of it before kicking it and shattering again. Before Ing can go for another strike with his baton, Onyx stops him and punches Ing three times across the face. As Ing goes in for one last strike, Onyx grabs his wrist and twist it, breaking Ing’s aura and arm.   
Ing screams in pain as he falls to the ground. Violet, Llew and Eadwulf as well as Team FLME all turn to see the sight. Violet gains an angered look to her and uses her semblance and electrocutes Onyx’s back. However, the attack is cut short by Damson intervening with his tail and throwing Violet into the ground. Onyx slowly begins to walk back until a river of lava appears before him. 

He peers over to see Isaac and rushes over to him. Isaac is able to evade and slashes his blade at Onyx’s back. Onyx turns back and extends his own blade, The Judge, and clashes with Isaac’s sword. The two exchange blows with their swords some more until Isaac hits Onyx’s wrist and swings just above the hilt, cutting the blade off. Damson does a move similar to before and throws Isaac away from Onyx. 

Onyx places the hilt on his wrist, and machines from the hilt move to make the hilt a giant wrist cannon. He slowly begins to walk towards Fred’s direction. 

Onyx: (To Damson) Take care of the rest.

Isaac gets up and is engaged once again by Roz. Meanwhile, Damson begins to attack Violet while Llew carries Ing off and back into the town with Eadwulf’s cover. He looks over and sees Damson fighting Violet and growls before extending his claws. Onyx keeps walking towards Fred who still is struggling to stay away. Onyx raises his arm and fires off his new cannon towards Fred. 

Fred turns around and sees Onyx closing in on him. Fred closes his eyes and takes a breath before activating his Guardian Armor and flies backwards away from Onyx. Onyx screams and chases after Fred. Leia, May and Ember fire off a few rounds at Ombre soldiers until Leia peers over and sees Fred and Onyx departing. Without hesitating, Leia runs after the two. 

Leia: Come on! Let’s go!

May joins Leia as Ember hesitates. However, Eadwulf places a hand on his shoulder. 

Eadwulf: Go. We can manage this. 

Ember: Orinik. 

Eadwulf cocks an eyebrow, questioning the word. 

Ember: Hold fast. Hold strong. 

Ember runs off after his team. 

Eadwulf: Same to you…brother. 

Eadwulf proceeds to grow in size and attack the last few Ombre soldiers. Violet blocks an attack from Damson once again, after three more strikes she rolls to evade his tail. She kneels down once one of Damson’s knives slashes near her stomach. Violet jabs her staff into Damson’s chest and fires a round, launching Damson far off and greatly wounded him. Damson looks back up and sees Violet trying to attack him. 

Damson wraps his tail around the upper half of Violet’s staff and slams her onto the desert ground twice before he throws her towards Canary and lands beside Llew and Ing.

Llew: Violet?!

Violet: (Coughs) Yeah. I think it’s about time we left. 

Llew: Agreed. 

Eadwulf knocks away the remaining Ombre soldiers before being pelted with fire from the three carriers. Eadwulf picks up some stone from the ground and throws it at one of the carriers, hitting the bow, making the carrier crash nearby the town. Eadwulf turns back and sees Damson approaching him. Eadwulf stomps nearby and launches Damson into the air. Damson lands on Eadwulf’s hand and bites it. Eadwulf grunts and takes his other hand to slab Damson off of him. 

Damson uses his tail to block the hand and leaps towards Eadwulf’s shoulder. Damson kicks Eadwulf’s shoulder, leaps down to his chest and hits it and punches Eadwulf’s chest as well. Damson leaps down and kicks Eadwulf’s thigh and knee and forces him to the ground, shrinking him down as well. Eadwulf’s brown colored aura shatters. Damson wraps his tail around Eadwulf and slams him into a wall nearby his team. 

Eadwulf begins to cough and struggles to breath. Violet runs over to him and tries to see what’s wrong. 

Violet: Eadwulf?! Eadwulf, what’s wrong? 

Eadwulf keeps struggling to breath. He reaches up towards Violet. She takes his hand and begins to squeeze it. 

Violet: It’s ok. You’re ok. Just keep looking at me. Keep looking at me. 

Llew and Jet arrive and kneel down next to Eadwulf. Jet has a medical pack with him and he begins to rummage through it. 

Violet: What’s wrong with him?

Llew: Has to be a punctured lunge.   
Jet places a bio-foam container inside Eadwulf’s wound and activates it. The foam fills Eadwulf and he regains his breath. 

Eadwulf: (Weakly) We need to leave! 

Violet: I know! That’s the plan!

Eadwulf: No. Violet. I finished off the last of the Ombre soldiers. 

Violet’s eyes widen in realization. She turns her head outside and see a horde of Grimm charing directly to them. Jet stands up with fear on his face. 

Jet: GET THE AIRSHIPS READY, NOW!!!

Back on the battlefield, Isaac and Roz strike and block one another’s attacks. Roz forms a shield along her right arm and attempts a right hook towards Isaac. Isaac easily dodges the attack and knees Roz’s stomach and throws a her a bit. Roz rolls and launches herself into a kick towards Isaac. Isaac dodges the attack and spins around for a kick only to be blocked by Roz’s own kick. 

The two unleash a few kicks towards one another, each being blocked by the other. As Isaac goes for another kick, Roz ducks and slides under Isaac. She uses her semblance and a few pink quartz emerge from the ground and knock Isaac’s face. Isaac flips over Roz and forms a river of lava in front of her and launches it towards her. 

Roz rolls out of the way and the two reengage one another, slashing blades and blocking strikes. 

Isaac: Ask yourself this…is this what you want?!

Roz: It’s what I can do for the world!

Isaac: Really? You can do this for the world? The death! The devastation! Look around you Roz! This is what you’re giving to the world!

Roz looks around and sees hordes of Grimm charging towards Canary. Several people are being mauled by Beowolves or Creeps. Others are being picked up by Nevermores. The last two carriers pass over Canary and fire down at both the town and Grimm. A few airships departs from the town but are swarmed by Grimm until they are blasted by the carriers. A few lose Ombre soldiers fire towards the town. Roz returns her gaze to Isaac who has offered her a hand. 

Isaac: You can fix it. All of it. 

Roz: Not now. He’ll kill me. 

Isaac: Then we’ll die together. 

Roz: No Isaac. He wants to kill us all. Everyone last one of us. He wont stop. He wont rest until his mission is complete. Just to prove a point. 

Isaac: Don’t worry about it. We can clear your name. We just my brother alive and the relics are safe. 

Roz: Not today. 

Isaac: What?

Roz: Haven falls tonight. (Isaac gasps) And your brother dies in minutes. 

Isaac: Roz! You can stop-

Isaac is blasted away by a large cannon shot and is thrown towards Roz. Roz side steps him and has a look of worry to her face. She gains a serious one when she turns around and sees Stier standing there. 

Roz: I had him.

Stier: Don’t care. 

Roz: (Stopping Stier) He’s irrelevant. Only the Guardian matters now. 

Stier nods and walks off. Roz slowly follows until a bullhead lands with Lavender and Damson inside. 

Lavender: Ma’am! We need to go!

Roz looks back to Isaac and slowly begins to walk to the bullhead. Isaac gets up and reaches out to her. 

Isaac: Roz…

Roz: I’m sorry. 

She gets on the bullhead and it takes off. Isaac slowly gets up only to find himself surrounded by Grimm. 

Inside Canary, Violet and Llew carry Ing and Eadwulf towards the evacuation center. Once they’ve reached the center, Violet sets Ing down and looks around. She sees one military level aircraft available and runs to it. Jet quickly follows. Violet enters the pilot seat and attempts to get the ship started. 

Jet: What are you doing?

Violet: My friends are still out there. I’m not leaving them behind. 

Jet: You’re die trying. 

Violet: Then we’ll all die if we don’t get Fred back. 

Llew teleports into the ship. 

Llew: Then I shall join you. 

Ing: (Offscreen) Us too!

Both Violet and Jet turn around and see Ing and Eadwulf walking onto the ship. 

Violet: But your injury?

Ing: We’ll manage. 

Jet and Violet look at one another and nod. Team VILE takes off with the ship and fly a bit out of the town. As they are flying, they see Isaac fighting off waves of Grimm. Llew maneuvers the ship and fires at the Grimm. Isaac looks up and sees the air support ship. Isaac runs forward and leaps off of a Creep and lands on the ship. Isaac runs to the back and enters the ship. 

Isaac: Please tell me-

Violet: Making a B-line towards the rest of them.

The ship then takes off directly towards the direction of Team FLME.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Fred slides along the ground after his Guardian armor disappears from his body. Fred rolls along the ground and stabs the ground to stop himself from sliding anymore. Fred stands up and looks around and tries to activate his Guardian Armor again. However, when he does he enters the same black void from when he met Primus. 

Fred opens his eyes and the original Guardian is standing before him once again. 

Fred: Primus?! What do you want now?!

Primus: You have failed! The prophecy I gave you has come true! 

Fred: Prophecy? What prophecy?!

Primus: Darkness will consume you. The shadows of destruction will destroy all you know. Your stance will break, your general will fall, they will run from you. And you…will be left behind. Lost in your own victory

Fred: Well so far only the general had fallen! I do not believe in superstition. 

Primus: You will!

Fred: So…what do I do now?

Primus: Nothing. The hour of the black sun is upon you. And you will fail. 

Fred: You don’t know that.

Primus: I DO! Out of the thousands of Guardians that have existed none have succeeded on this day! At this hour! You believe yourself immortal! I believe you to be worthless!

Fred: Try me!

Primus: Very well. 

Fred emerges from the projection only to be punched in the face by Onyx. Fred slides across the ground but stabs the earth and stops himself from moving. Fred stands up and faces Onyx directly. Fred activates the Scorch Blades and and raises his fist. 

Onyx: I take it we are done with the word play and insults. 

Fred: Yes. We’re done. 

Onyx smirks and looks at his new cannon. 

Onyx: I have been waiting to use this latest creation from our doctors. 

Fred: Lavenza.

Onyx: (Chuckles) No. Lavenza was a genius in many rights, but this, no where met his possibility of success. So…(Onyx raises his arm and aims the cannon towards Fred) there was an ancient saying that I believe is lost to modern Remnant. One shall stand…

Fred: And one must fall. 

Onyx fires off his cannon and Fred rolls to the side and evades the attack. Onyx fires three more rounds towards Fred. Fred back flips over one, ducks under another and runs forward to slide underneath the fire blast. Fred ignites some fire and releases a stream towards Onyx. Onyx backhands the fire away from him. However, Fred uses his semblance and pushes the fire back towards Onyx, burning him a bit. Fred extends his blades with their upgrade and makes a flaming X. 

Fred flips forward and kicks the fire forward towards Onyx. Onyx leaps over the flames and he and Fred run towards one another and exchange punches. Both go sliding back until Onyx raises his cannon and fires towards Fred. Fred moves Onyx’s arm away, thus getting out of the blast zone. Fred also fires but Onyx also moves Fred’s arm out of the way to avoid the flames. Onyx moves his cannon to act as a shield and knocks Fred back a bit as the two continue to move one another’s arms out of the way of danger. 

Eventually, Fred is pushed back a bit by Onyx but does a roundhouse kick, hitting Onyx’s chin, making the lord bend backwards but quickly recovers. The two block one another’s blows until they both align their guns directly towards one another and fires, sending both flying backwards. Despite being launched back several feet, the two quickly get up for a recovery. 

Onyx wastes no time and opens fire on Fred from their stopped positions. Fred begins to run forward towards Onyx despite the incoming salvo. Fred extends his blades and begins to deflect Onyx’s incoming fire. After several more rounds of fire, Fred leaps into the air and lunges towards Onyx. Onyx fires one more round which Fred evades. In response, Onyx extends the blade stored within his wrist cannon and raises it above his head to block Fred’s attack. 

The two begin to struggle a bit, constantly fighting one another’s force. Fred’s eyes quickly grow bright red as his pupils are replaced by a bright red tint. 

Primus: Onyx!

Onyx: Primus? (Chuckles) Well, it appears your prophecy is about to come true yet again, old friend!

Fred: Not today!

Both Onyx and Fred break away from the hold and reel back to strike again. After the two do strike the other’s blades again, Onyx swings, aiming for Fred’s stomach, which the teen back steps to avoid. Fred raises his blades and attacks Onyx, the lord blocks and Fred spins around and swings again only to have Onyx duck the strike as well. Fred runs up and lunges, striking Onyx’s blade again and actually pushing back the lord by a few feet. 

Fred strikes Onyx’s blade again, with the two holding a strong standstill against one another. Fred pushes upward and is able to break the hold, however, Onyx quickly reengages Fred but is again pushed back by the teen. As the two lock blade again, Onyx punches Fred and the side kicks him, launching Fred far into the air. Fred lands and rolls along the ground and ignites some fire. He unleashes the wave towards Onyx. Onyx simply cuts the wave in half with his own blade but fails to see Fred run up and knee him in the face, sending him off a small cliff. 

Fred activates the leg portion of his Guardian armor and lands on top of Onyx. He uses the active portion of the armor to unleash a large burst of fire against Onyx’s face. Though he screams a bit in pain, Onyx is able to fight through it and grab Fred’s head and throws him off of himself. Fred tumbles along the ground but quickly gets up and runs back towards Onyx, who is still blinded by Fred’s attack.

Once Fred arrives near Onyx, the teen punches the lord directly in the face. Onyx throws a blind punch, but Fred evades and throws an uppercut and then a left cross across Onyx’s body. Fred unleashes another uppercut to Onyx’s chin and a punch into Onyx’s jaw. Fred repeats the pattern, constantly striking Onyx across his face, even igniting his own fists with flames to burn some of Onyx’s flesh and damage him more. Fred finally jabs his fist into Onyx’s stomach and then across his face once more, throwing the lord a bit back than usual. 

Onyx finally clears his face from the burn marks only to see Fred run up and, with a fist of fire, punch him directly in the face, launching Onyx far off. Onyx weakly tries to get up as Fred walks towards him, ready to finish the fight. Fred extends the Scorch Blades and stomps onto Onyx’s chest. 

Onyx: (Weakly) Out of all of them…how?!

Fred: I should make you suffer! But I just can’t afford that! This is for everything you’ve ever done! For May…Leia…Ember…my parents!

Onyx looks up in actual fear as Fred swings his blade down towards Onyx. However, Fred gains a look of shock a worry as he sees that Onyx has caught the blade. Onyx’s eyes open and a purple aura emerges from them.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Land of Darkness, Salem is sitting at her chair while Watts and Tyrian walk around the council room. Salem begins to shake a bit and both Tyrian and Watts take notice. Tyrian rushes to Salem while Watts watches the surroundings of the castle. 

Tyrian: Your grace? Are you well?! Your grace?!

Watts: It’s happening. The Eclipse!

Salem’s eyes burst open with the same purple aura as Onyx. Before Tyrian can ask is Salem is alright, he is grabbed by Watts and pulled to cover beside one of the windows. 

Tyrian: Arthur?! What are you-

Watts: Duck and cover!

The windows of Salem’s palace burst open and the land ruled by Salem glows purple and red. Salem absorbs more power.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Onyx begins to stand up, still holding Fred’s blade in his hand. Fred struggles to break free of the grasp as Onyx also fights to keep in control. 

Onyx: I do hope that family of yours wont be disappointed. Then again…it wouldn't be the first time…Primus. 

Onyx moves Fred’s blade further back and snaps it off. Onyx takes the broken blade and stabs it into Fred’s shoulder. Fred, visibly tired out, attempts another punch but Onyx quickly counters by dodging the punch and hitting Fred’s back. However, Fred is able to land another punch on Onyx’s face only to have the lord unleash two punches in succession. Once Fred recovers, Onyx uppercuts Fred, launching him into the air and sent flying back. 

After Fred lands, he pants, trying to regain his breath. He looks up towards the sky as the dark of night around him. Finally Fred looks up and sees the Eclipse is occurring. Fred eyes widen in fear as he realizes that Primus was right. Onyx, meanwhile, slowly walks towards Fred, purple veins growing along his skin. Fred slowly attempts to get after removing the broken blade from his shoulder. 

Fred gets up and ignites a small bit of fire towards Onyx. Onyx cuts the stream in two and grabs Fred’s head and knees him in the stomach. He picks up Fred and throws him onto the ground. After two punches, Onyx kicks Fred along the ground, making the teen tumble along the ground to get back up. Once Fred finally gets back up, he attempts an axe kick Onyx, but he catches Fred’s leg and punches Fred’s chest and throws the teen back towards the ground. 

Slowly, Fred stands back up only to be kicked by Onyx. Fred is on his hands and knees until Onyx slams Fred’s head against the ground and throws him towards another cliff. Fred looks at his arm and his aura shatters. Fred’s eyes widen at the sight as the Eclipse still occurs. 

Onyx: This was meant to be our day Primus! A day of victory! Of salvation! 

Fred gets up to punch Onyx again, but he deflects it and punches Fred’s face instead. 

Onyx: You were away from that farm! We had FAMILIES!!! They depended on us! Chose us! 

As the above is spoken, Onyx continues to slam his fists down along Fred’s head. Fred attempts another punch but Onyx grabs his wrists and headbutts Fred. Fred goes to the ground, blood dripping from his head. 

Onyx: They had hopes! Aspirations! FREEDOMS WE NEVER HAD!!!

Onyx slams his fists back down onto Fred’s head and forces the child to the ground. Onyx begins to punch Fred in the face, yelling more and more.

Onyx: WE! HAD! IT! ALL! We were their generals! Heroes! 

Onyx picks Fred up and throws him away towards a nearby cliff. Fred clutches his stomach and slowly turns into a clumped ball onto the ground. 

Onyx: I…I wasn't a freak of nature. And for once…I knew…I knew what it felt like to be alive. 

Fred refuses to look at Onyx, even at the lord’s confession. Onyx shifts from sadden to quickly enraged and walks over towards Fred.

Onyx: Look at me! (Fred refuses) Look at me, Primus!

Onyx grabs Fred and turns him towards his face, both locking eyes with one another. Instead of seeing Fred, Onyx can only see Solus, son of Primus, and whom he considered a nephew. However, another blink shows Fred again, angry and determined to win. Onyx slowly grows enraged and grabs Fred’s head and slams it into the ground. 

Onyx: It didn't have to be this way, Primus. You didn't have to serve them! You just needed to serve Salem…your family. But because of what you and Ozma have done…you will burn!

Fred: So…it’s just revenge?

Onyx: Revenge is a coward’s game! I’m trying to make sure no man ever loses their family again, over some punk with a gun!

Fred stops struggling and lets the words settle in. Onyx clearly references Fred’s own life, yet the tone it seems he knows from experience. Fred is picked up by Onyx but the Guardian ignites some fire and burns some of Onyx. Onyx still holds onto Fred and begins to carry him over to the cliff. 

Onyx: We…we were protectors. We were savories. We were alive. 

Fred: The key word is “were”! You’re no protector. You’re the punk with a gun!

Onyx drops his angered look and has one of a bit of sadness. His muscles slowly weaken. Meanwhile, the rest of Team FLME arrive on the scene and look around. Ember then sees Fred and Onyx on the cliff below. 

Ember: Fred?!

Onyx: Guess that makes two of us. 

Onyx throws Fred off of the cliff for him to seemingly fall to his demise. The rest of Team FLME screams as Ember opens fire against Onyx. Onyx raises his arm to defend himself and uses his cannon to open fire. Onyx hits near the team and blast Ember away. 

Leia and May keep firing and are actually joined by Team VILE and Isaac in their airship. The ship opens fire and gives the team covering fire. The ship files around and the back door opens and Eadwulf and Ing are standing there signaling the team to get on board. The team refuses until Violet and Llew exchange the pilot seat and Llew teleports to the ground and teleports back with the team. 

The airship begins to fly away until Onyx fires at it and hits the engines, making the ship commit a hard landing. Rather than investigate it, Onyx remains still as a bullhead lands near him and out comes Damson. 

Damson: Master?

Onyx: We’re done here. 

Onyx gets on the bullhead with Damson and the ships flies off back to the Citadel. Pan up to the Eclipse ending.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
Inside Lavenza’s old lab within the Citadel, Luna’s pod is still active. Onyx walks up to it and looks at her. 

Onyx: You were greatly beneficial to me while your beloved acted. Even despite the fact we had all we needed to save you years ago. I am…sorry for your loss. As it was mine as well. Then again, like any of that (Activates his sword and cuts the main cable to the pod) matters. 

Luna’s eyes shoot open as she is finally fully awake. However, the poison also flows through her body. Finally, she drowns in the poison as she coughs it up, dying due to her injuries. Onyx retracts the blade and walks out. 

On a balcony overlooking Land of Darkness, Onyx looks out to see the world and the moon rise overhead. He relaxes a little before taking in deep breath, no longer looking sad. He smiles at his victory. 

Onyx: It mattered.   
______________________________________________________________________________  
Along the remains of Lavenza’s lab, debris is everywhere. Several contains of mutated Grimm are along the ground, all dead and or gasping for air. Sparks fly off from some cables and fires are along some others. However, the main computer starts up again with lights and data appearing on the screen. A metallic foot steps into frame. 

Cuts to black.


End file.
